


Retribution

by Undeniable_Mystique



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2018-12-09 06:13:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 58,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11663289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Undeniable_Mystique/pseuds/Undeniable_Mystique
Summary: Haunted by a mysterious woman who stirs disturbing memories, she seeks to escape the truth. Being dropped in an unknown world full of sorcery and combat sure as hell isn't going to help. But it might turn out to be fun, right?





	1. Beginnings

~PROLOGUE~

Several drops of sweat beaded down my forehead as I regarded the multiple-choice test question in front of me. Tap tap tap went the pen in my twitchy fingers as I scanned the possibilities. Which answer? Well, option 'a' was out of the question, and 'd' didn't even make sense, leaving two options up for debate.

Total and utter panic; this is why I loathed multiple-choice tests! Come on, focus. I didn't much care for tests such as this, but this one I felt was imperative to my future well-being.

I gulped and looked up from my paper at the students littered around me. Nearly all of them had their heads bowed to the notes laid out on their desks. I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.

Why class had to be held in this dungeon of a room, I would never figure out. The pungent aroma of seafood pasta probably didn't help the matter. I cast a glance at the instructor sitting at the front of the room, who glowered at me through a mouthful of pasta. This is what I got for sitting in the front row.

Disgusted, I immediately brought my attention back to my own work. Two possible choices; it shouldn't be this difficult, dammit!

Suddenly, a shadow and a hand appeared out of nowhere and snatched away my precious questions.

"Hey! What the he-" I choked on my words upon seeing a pair of glowering steel-gray eyes. Aw crap, I'm in for it now.

The TA scanned the magazine article with beady eyes and his frown deepened. "What kind of friend are you?" He paused to glare at me before continuing. "You're at a party. Your best friend's boyfriend makes a move on you, what do you do?" He grit his teeth at me before glaring back at the magazine clutched in his skinny fingers. "A: flirt back, it's harmless after all. B: explain your loyalty to your friend and walk away. C: Slap him across the face and immediately tell your friend. D: don't do anything, it's none of your business." He stopped reading and took a deep breath. I sunk deeper into my chair.

What kind of friend would do nothing? Honestly!

"I didn't realize we were studying for a Flare exam, or I would have brought my own copy."

The TA (James, or Jake, or some such name) slammed the magazine in front of me with enough force to cause my hair to jump. Here it comes. A quick desperate gaze around the room revealed my friend Rachael giving me a sympathetic frown.

All hell broke loose then. Or perhaps it was just James blowing up. Same thing.

"I'm sorry that my class isn't interesting enough!" his face puffed up like an angry cat, "But-there's-a-reason-I-come-here-at-9am-everyday! IsweartoGodyouwillbe-" At that point, his voice got so high-pitched and quick that it was basically gibberish.

I was in no mood to listen to J-babble; why I'd even bothered going to class was beyond me. Instead, I found myself wishing I'd overslept during my nap out in the courtyard, or at least had someone else hand in the end of term assignment so I wouldn't have to sit in this sweltering classroom for two hours with Jerkass Jake. It was the final tutorial for the semester, and pointless from the moment he had stepped inside:

"Morning, class! I thought we could do something fun today. You're all to write an evaluative paragraph about me." He'd flicked his greasy hair out of his eyes. "Of course this has nothing to do with the course, but I thought it'd be a nice way to end the semester. Aren't I just a tool like that?"

Well, he hadn't said the last part.

Now, as a lovely shower of spittle rained down on me, I flinched and put a hand up to shield my eyes. Oh my God, how long has that been there? Sticking out from between his two front teeth was something green and leafy looking. It was quite enchanting in a car-crash kind of way, what with the way it kept bobbing with each word Jake spoke. Must. Not. Stare…

He banged his hands on the table and leaned in closer. I instinctively pushed back my chair.

"Since you don't have a scholarship to maintain, you think you don't have to do the assignment, huh?" He glared at me for a few seconds, as if expecting an answer. But I realized this was one of those rhetorical questions so I just stared at him blankly, fighting the urge to pinch my nose. I mean the guy's breath reeked of onions.

"We can't all run to daddy for money, we pay for school out of our own pockets," he spat.

My eyes widened as his comment sunk in. "Excuse me?" I abruptly stood up.

He looked around the room, then lowered his voice, "You're nothing but a spoiled rich kid who doesn't deserve this education. Now get the hell out of my classroom."

My immediate response was to introduce his glasses-covered eyes to my fist, but I didn't do that. Instead, I picked up my books and laptop and started packing them in my bag. My mind screamed silent insults at Jake, but I bit my tongue. There were about twenty other students in the classroom, all of whom I could feel staring.

"You need to floss, by the way!" I screamed, and triumphantly walked out. Not the best of insults, but whatever.

Sighing, I shook my head and stepped out into the fluorescent-lit hallway. The squeaking of my boots on the linoleum floor was the only sound that sliced the emptiness of the narrow hallway, as I made my way towards the double metal doors leading out to the courtyard.

Who the hell does he think he is calling me spoiled? Just because my parents were doctors and we lived in a nice house and had nice things… okay, maybe I was a bit spoiled. But all that had changed once I'd started university and moved out. Having my parents invest in my tuition costs was one thing, but letting them pay for my rent and living expenses didn't seem fair, especially since they hadn't wanted me to move out in the first place. But I had to move out, there's no way I'm commuting all the way out here for school. I mean have you looked at gas prices nowadays? And no way am I taking the subway!

I sighed. The price of gas wasn't the reason I'd decided to move out and I knew it. I'd needed some space from my parents, guilt or no guilt, but thinking about that always led down a depressing road straight to a tub of Ben and Jerry's chocolate-chip-cookie-dough and solitary confinement in my bedroom.

I shook my head vigorously, as if the thoughts would simply fall out of my hair and onto the floor, and pushed on the humongous building door.

At the exact same moment, someone thumped me in the back with an accompanying "Hey!"

I turned around to face Rachael, who wore an amused smirk on her freckled face. She opened her mouth, but I cut her off.

"It's not like the assignment was gonna be marked," I whined, "and be sure I use the term assignment very loosely."

She shook her blonde head and clicked her tongue. "Don't get your knickers twisted. I'm just amazed at your insubordination." She grabbed my arm and led me out the doors, and we were suddenly hit with the smell of damp grass and dew.

I rolled my eyes at her vocabulary, but couldn't hold back the grin that tugged at my lips. "Why, thank you. It's about time I rebelled. It's not my bloody fault my dad didn't hire him!"

Rachael nodded in agreement and gave me a sympathetic smile. Our TA for Social Psychology, Jake, had applied for an internship with my father about a month ago, and had been super nice to me – until Dad hired someone else.

Rachael and I stepped onto the stone pathway that stretched from the school building towards the off-campus residence building. Fog snaked over the school grounds in thin wisps, moving almost ominously through the Willow barks overhanging our path. The sky threatened rain with gray clouds that menacingly hovered above our heads. I instinctively pulled the hood of my U of T sweatshirt over my hair.

"I wish you could stay for the weekend." Rachael turned to me and we shared a long, suffering look about the latest injustice done by my overprotective parents: making me go back home right after exams ended.

"It's okay, you can spend some quality time with, uh, Mark."

"Mike."

"Yeah." I turned to her apologetically, but she brushed it aside. Rachael knew I couldn't remember a name to save my life. Besides, it wasn't as if I'd actually ever met the guy she'd been dating for two months. I proceeded to point this out to Rachael, but she just shrugged in response.

I scoffed. "You know, all this mystery is really off-putting. I mean, it's not as if I'm your best friend and practically tell you everything about my life, even when you-"

"Nate, shh!" Rachael put her hand up in my face.

I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth to deliver a sarcastic retort when I realized that her attention was clearly elsewhere. She stood gazing intently between the leaves of a willow tree, as if expecting it to spontaneously combust or something. But all of a sudden, the leaves rustled, followed by a popping sound, and Rachael jumped back right onto my foot.

She turned to me, surprised.

"What the hell?" I cried.

Her celery-green eyes wide, Rachael pointed between the trees. "I think I saw something."

I narrowed my eyebrows; half wondering if she was just pulling my chain, but she genuinely looked scared. I turned and pushed myself within the thick leaves to find –

"Nothing." I faced Rachael. "What did you see?"

She shook her head and gulped. "I don't know. It-it was probably nothing. This fog, it makes me nervous." She gave me a weak smile.

Before I could stop myself, I chuckled. "I knew we shouldn't have watched that killer fog movie."

Rachael shuddered. "I still hate you for putting me through that, by the way."

"How else are you gonna get over your fears?"

"I'm not going to get over it. Plus, I've vowed not to watch ambiguously titled movies anymore, especially if you want to watch them."

I mock-gasped. "After all the effort I go through to download the movie…"

Our horror-movie banter continued all the way back to our residence apartment building, which was housed just across the street from campus. It was, unsurprisingly, deserted, and I found myself wishing the weather wasn't so crappy. Most kids had finished their exams, and should have been outside, lying around in the backyard or having barbeques or other end of term activities. But no, most students were cooped up indoors, or had gone home for the summer holidays already.

"I can't believe we're officially done first year," Rachael whispered as I followed her into our apartment. She flung the keys on a table by the door and traipsed into the living room to collapse on the couch. "I should totally kidnap you for the summer!"

I laughed. "Yup, and my parents can send out search parties and have your ass arrested." I yelled back as I unlaced my boots in the hallway.

"Nah, they'd never find us! We'll be like Thelma and Louise, except younger and cooler… and you know, without the crime stuff."

Smirking, I shook my head. Rachael and her analogies. With a little difficulty, I peeled off my chunky rain boots and stepped into the living room to be hit with a sudden chill. "Did you turn the fan-"

Splat went my bag on the carpet as my eyes fell on the woman. She stood by the window, and if Rachael hadn't been gaping open-mouthed at her, I would have believed she was a trick of the light. At first she appeared to be trembling, but a second later I realized that she was strangely translucent; I could see the maroon curtains through her, like looking at a distorted coin through murky water. She stepped forward at a glacial pace, as if sudden movements would shatter her.

Paralyzed by her stabbing, tawny gaze, I stood rooted as she slowly walked towards me, her form flickering as if she were the unreliable glow of a faulty light bulb.

Familiarity. Where have I seen her before? My mind would not produce the memory, like déjà vu, except I was certain it wasn't just a trick of the mind.

She was only a couple of feet away now, and reached out her arm as if to touch me. "Give yourself to the sorceress." Her voice, low and snake-like, drifted across the room and wrapped around me. She inched closer…

"Hey!"

A sudden pop sliced the air as the woman disappeared, a millisecond before a cushion went flying through the air where she had just been standing.

I snapped out of the hypnotic daze.

"I knew it! I knew I wasn't just imagining it! That's what I saw in the trees! Who – no, what the hell was that thing? Did you see, Natasha? Did you see her wings? Oh my God, I've never seen anything like that! What if she comes back? What if-"

"Rachael!" I grabbed her by her narrow shoulders and shook her. "Here, sit down." I gently sat her down on the couch, keeping a firm grip on her shoulders. Feeling unusually calm, I tried to wrack my brain for the memory that would not appear. "Did you see her come in?"

Rachael stared at me, and then shook her head. "I was lying on the couch when all of a sudden there was a draft. I thought the window must be open, so I got up and – and – look, that's what I saw before too!"

"Before?"

"When we were walking home!" Rachael sat bolt upright and brought her hands to her cheeks. "What if we're being haunted?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Rachael…"

"Think about it, Nate, how else do you explain a woman who disappears into thin air?" She got up and started pacing in front of me. "She was a ghost!"

"No…" I bit my lip, because something tugged at my mind. Two years ago… with Noah… driving home, then suddenly swerving to avoid someone standing in the middle of the road, hitting a tree, the smell of exhaust fumes mingled with blood... then darkness, except... that woman, she was somehow connected… I rubbed my temples to free the sudden sharp pain. This was the first time I'd remembered details about the accident.

Rachael watched me with narrowed, concerned eyes and sat down again.

I gulped. "Look, can we just forget about it? I – um – we're not hurt or anything, so there's no use thinking about it right?"

Rachael frowned, and then nodded reluctantly. "Okay… but there's no way I'm staying here alone. I'm gonna call Mike."

"You mean I finally get to meet the infamous Michael?"

Rachael shook her head as she flipped out her cell phone. "Are you kidding?" She punched in a few numbers and mashed the phone to her ear. "I'm going over to his place. Hey Mike? Look, I need to stay with you tonight." She got up and walked away into her room, all the while gibbering on about ghosts and haunting.

Left alone with my thoughts, I sighed and leaned back into the suede couch. I flipped on the television, but my thoughts invaded. The sorceress… Who was she and what did she want with me?

Several hours later, I parked my Volkswagen Bug in the freshly paved upper-year students residence parking lot. A short row of townhouses faced the lot, and students shuffled around, packing things in their cars, or waiting for their rides to arrive.

My stomach curled uncomfortably as I scanned the students to find Trevor. On my insistence, he'd agreed to drive back home with me, and in the process ditched his friends for the weekend. Back home, we practically lived next door to each other, so it made sense to make only one trip. I shook the guilt away. It's not like he really minds.

I pulled out my cell phone to call him and my stomach instantly dropped. Nineteen missed calls? Aside from about two, they were all from my parents. I ignored the notifications and dialed Trevor's number.

Soon enough, Trevor emerged, struggling, from the front door of his town house.

I immediately went over to help him. "Gee whiz, couldn't find bigger suitcases?" I asked as I took one of the cases from his hand.

"Hello to you too, Grassy."

I raised an eyebrow. He was usually cleverer with his nicknames.

He shrugged. "Short for Grasshopper. Gimme a break, I just wrote an exam."

He was right, of course. Poor kid had written his calculus exam this afternoon, one that I was sure had been brutal. I asked him how it went as we dragged the suitcases to my car.

"It's finished is all I care about."

I nodded and opened the back door, and with a grunt, managed to haul the suitcases inside, both of which practically took up the entire backseat.

Trevor "helped" by slamming the car door so loudly that I openly cringed. For a tall, skinny guy, he sure had an awful habit of putting strength into the most inappropriate activities. God knows what he's like in b-.

"OKAY, well I'm gonna go and drop my key off." With that, he practically jogged towards the Residence Adviser building, but not before giving me a sort of disgusted smirk that plainly said, "Yes, you idiot, you did just say that out loud."

Whoops.

As I strapped myself into the car, my mind drifted to thoughts about the previous year. Leaving home and starting university had felt like a giant, foggy bubble had spit me out into the throws of freedom. I couldn't entirely trace the exact time my parents had become overbearingly protective, but I felt like they'd completely changed around the time I turned eighteen. I guessed I couldn't entirely blame them either, they'd already lost a son. But don't they get that they're just driving me away? I mean, the point of my moving away had been to gain some independence, but eight months of my father choosing my courses for me, and my mother keeping a microscopic eye on my study and social habits proved that I wouldn't be gaining that coveted independence anytime soon. It also doesn't help that they call me, like, a bazillion times a day either.

SLAM!

I jumped about ten feet and turned to glare at Trevor as he strapped himself in the passenger's seat.

"Hey, it's gonna rain, we probably shouldn't take the highway," he said, totally oblivious to the fact that he'd most likely just shattered my eardrums. He started to run his fingers through his curly brown hair, which was puffing up because of the humidity.

I nodded, started the car and pulled into the main road. Sure enough, raindrops soon started drizzling down onto the roof of the car, accompanied by low rumbles of thunder.

Watching Trevor fiddle with the CD player automatically brought a smirk to my face, because knowing him, he'd take five hundred hours just to pick a song. Several minutes later, he finally decided on an instrumentally-heavy Coldplay song and settled back in his seat. He whipped out his cell phone and started texting away.

I chewed on my lip, wondering whether I should mention what had happened earlier. I wished Rachael hadn't been there, because then I could have just brushed the vision of that woman off as a post-exam-stress induced hallucination or something. The Sorceress… why did I feel like I'd seen her before?

"Hey Trevor," I called hesitantly.

Without looking up from his phone, he grunted.

"Um, do you remember-uh-"

He snapped his phone shut and turned to me, tilting his head, dark blue eyes narrowed questioningly.

I hesitated, took a deep breath, and decided that, yes; I did have to bring it up. "After the accident, did I ever, you know, say something weird?"

A long, awkward pause before he answered, "You mumbled a lot. Why?"

I exhaled slowly.

"Wait, are you remembering something?" he asked eagerly.

I glanced briefly to find him watching me intently. This was the first time I'd even mentioned the accident since it happened. Fixing my gaze on the road ahead of me, I continued, "I don't know… did I ever say something about… a woman?"

"You were saying a whole bunch of things."

"Like what?"

He didn't respond, and when I turned to look at him, he wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Trevor, what did I say?"

"I-I don't really know. You kept mumbling about how you couldn't save him in time," he met my wide-eyed glance and hastily added. "It wasn't your fault Natasha!"

I shook my head impatiently. "What else?"

"That's pretty much it. The doctor wouldn't let us visit until you calmed down. Are you remembering?"

I released a deep breath, swallowed, then said, "No." I glanced at Trevor, and seeing him disappointed, added, "I just had flashes of it. Like, trying to avoid someone on the road, then crashing…" an involuntary shudder overtook my body and I swallowed the lump in my throat.

The drizzle had now become torrential, rolling down the windshield and drowning out the serene music with bullet-like tapping. There was a distinct lack of other cars on the road. The road beneath the tires was rough and slightly bumpy. Roars of thunder pierced the night, along with flashes of lightning that threatened to consume the sky with every clap. I wiped the fogged-up windshield with my sweater sleeve and squinted into the night. We were driving over a bridge now, I noticed, even though the headlights only allowed up to five feet of visibility.

"Here," said Trevor as he turned the heating all the way up, soon filling the car with vanilla-scented air freshener that was clipped on to the air vent.

"Thanks." I sent him a small smile, hoping he wouldn't ask me any more questions.

"You shouldn't feel guilty, Natasha."

I gripped the steering wheel tighter. "I know." But I do.

"He wouldn't have wanted you to." His hand came to rest on my shoulder.

I looked at him then, mouth open to tell him he didn't know how it was; that I'd crashed the car when Noah hadn't even wanted me to drive; that I was responsible for his death, so what if I couldn't remember the details? That I'd killed my brother and nothing anyone could say would erase that. I wanted to tell him all of it, but one look at his concerned, sincere face convinced me that he'd been holding off saying those words for a long time.

Slowly, biting my tongue, I grinned, then nodded to let him know that I appreciated what he said, even if I didn't believe it.

When I turned back to the road-

Ba-bump.

Her.

I gasped and swerved to the right. Trevor screamed something, but the screeching tires cut him off. No… my breath caught in my throat as the car sped out of control until-

CRASH!

A flash of white consumed my vision as the airbag exploded, pinning me to the seat. I fervently batted the cursed object away and turned to the only thing that mattered: Trevor.

He wasn't moving.

My breath caught in my throat, but a moment later Trevor shook his head and turned to look at me, eyes wide and shining, and I remembered to breathe again.

"Are you-" I cleared my throat and tried again, "Are you okay?"

"What happened?" His voice trembled.

I gulped. "I-there was... I don't know." I unbuckled my seatbelt with shaking hands. "You're okay?"

He nodded. "My head kinda hurts, but that's it. What about you?"

I absently nodded, fighting back the urge to throw my arms around him and apologize.

Instead, I gulped down the lump in my throat. "Stay here, I'm going to see how bad it is." And without waiting for him to respond, I flung the door open and pushed myself out into the drenching rain. "Could you call home?"

He nodded, and when I was sure he had busied himself with his phone, I locked the car and shut my door.

The sky split open in thunderous flashes of lightning as rain pelted down in torrents, making everything darker than it should have been, and soaking me almost instantly.

The crash hadn't been so bad; only the front bumper having been really damaged. It was unhinged and dangled dangerously between the car and the cement wall of the bridge. The passenger side headlight had shattered from impact, and the other one kept flickering ominously. Exhaust fumes curled in the wavering light, mingling with the heavy smell of rain in an almost intoxicating way.

A shiver ran through my body and I wrapped my arms around myself.

Footsteps, then, slow and squelching, directly behind me.

"I thought I told you to sta-"

Horror stopped the words in my throat as I turned around.

Enchantingly translucent, the woman stepped closer in her glacial, gliding gait. She wore an expression of glorious victory on her face as she gazed at me with binding, tawny eyes.

I stood rooted, unable to utter another word, unable to look away from her flickering, see-through form. Raindrops seemed to fall through her, leaving her magically dry while everything around her succumbed to the drench. Her naked feet seemed to glide above the ground, while the hem of her long, scarlet dress swished behind her.

My breath caught in my throat as I noticed a pair of ink-black, feathered wings casually sticking out of her back.

She smiled, then, a gesture that was both beautiful and terrifying, and I knew at that moment that this was the last face I would ever see. She reached for me with long, pointed fingers, and lay her cold, hard hands on my temples. Why is her touch so prominent?

I squeezed my eyes shut in the desperate hope that when I opened them again, this wouldn't be happening; that I'd be back in class, or still sleeping safely in my bed. But what one wishes and what one gets are often entirely different, and when I opened my eyes again, the last thing I did see was the woman.

A dull tug prodded at my head, as if an invisible hand was trying to reach in and grab my thoughts. But then the tug became sharp, stabbing pain, spreading throughout my body. Tingling numbness replaced the pain, as everything became far off; I felt as if my soul was being sucked out of my skin.

Over-encompassing darkness pressed into me from every direction conceivable, before I lost control of myself and lost consciousness.


	2. Waking up is hard to do

Waking up was at once abrupt and painful, and the first thing I realized was that my body was paralyzed. Futile attempts at movement drove me to the conclusion that I wasn't fully awake yet; that I was in between that stage of sleep and awake which tricks your mind into believing you no longer have control over your body.

This realization allowed me to let out a few breaths, and the numbness in my body started to subside. A chalky scent like burnt paper wafted around me, mixed with something coppery that was vaguely familiar. The slow ascent of my senses calmed me down and I inched my eyes open. Hazy blue blurs soon materialized into a bright afternoon sky, and the squishy feel of damp grass beneath me made me figure that I must have been lying in the school courtyard again. The sounds of students yelling in the distance confirmed this.

I sighed, realizing that it was probably still morning; meaning that I had to get up and get to class. Aw man, I don't want to face Jake today.

Defeated: I knew that there was no getting out of this class. For all I knew, the instructor would probably take marks off for cutting. Sluggishly, I brought my arm above my head to check my wristwatch.

What the?

Instead of my watch, bright red cuffs covered my wrist, attached to a navy blue sleeve that didn't look familiar in the slightest. I rubbed my eyes and propped myself up on my elbows.

Panic then, fire-hot and debilitating, clutched at the breath I'd been about to exhale.

Something silver stuck out from the middle of my chest, and all at once stabbing pain appeared there, as if brought on by the sight of the knife. I gaped at the weapon, dumbstruck as how it hadn't woken me up earlier. Shock: that's what made me sit up and reach for the knife in blurry movements.

I grabbed the handle with deft fingers, ignoring the tears that stung my eyes, and started to pull. Sobs escaped my throat as the blade passed through bone and skin. Shudders overtook me as a chill descended over my body. I could feel every inch of metal exiting my body, until finally it was completely out. Numb fingers dropped the knife and reached to undo the buttons of a navy blue collared jacket I didn't remember putting on, much less owning.

Blood oozed out of the cut in thin rivulets and ran down the ivory skin. Ivory? I must have lost a lot of blood to be that pale. The cut itself was about two inches wide and right below my collarbone. I could have died… the knife must have missed my heart by inches. Who did this?

That was when I realized that I wasn't alone. A shadow fell over me, and on instinct I grabbed the knife lying on the floor and pushed myself off the ground faster than I should have. I buckled as pain shot through my body. Gray and red flecks danced around my vision for a few seconds and I blinked several times.

Instinctively, I jumped back as a gloved hand reached for my shoulders. The movement caused a groan of pain to escape my lips and I tumbled to the ground in a heap. The flecks in my vision went haywire and I squeezed my eyes shut to control the thudding in my temples.

"Izzy!" a deep voice; accompanied by an arm that prevented my back from hitting the ground.

The next thing I knew was a chilling sensation that accumulated itself around my chest, and soon my entire body started to tingle. What's happening?

I snapped my eyes open just in time to see pale blue sparkles surrounding my body, and when the sparkles subsided, I found myself staring at the most beautiful person I had ever seen. Strands of dark hair fell messily into his stunning honey-coloured eyes, which showed the same concern as the frown on his full, round lips.

Aw crap, I'm dead, aren't I?

"Are you an angel?" I blurted out, grinning widely, because if I was dead, I must have made it to Heaven after all.

He bit his lip and narrowed his eyes before helping me sit up.

Feeling woozy, I clung onto his arm to keep from toppling backwards.

"Here," the angel whispered as he handed me a glass vial filled with a bright green substance, and told me to drink as I sent him a confused look.

I stared at the vial. It looked harmless enough, but hadn't I always been told not to take things from strangers? Well, I'm probably dead already, so why not? Plus, I'm pretty sure angels are good guys.

I uncorked the vial and downed the gel-like, tasteless contents. Again, my body started to tingle with unexpected force, and before I could even think of panicking, a feeling of renewal overcame me and my head cleared. I took a few deep breaths and blinked.

"Better?" he asked. I could now clearly see he was just a regular guy; a really pretty one, but definitely not a spiritual, supernatural being. He watched me warily through narrowed eyes.

Hesitantly, I looked down at the wound. What? It had disappeared! Only the scar remained, stitched up over the skin as if it had been healing for days. I looked back at the boy, dazed. "Did you fix it?"

He gave me a concerning look, as if he didn't understand the question.

I tried again, and everything I could think of came tumbling out, "Where am I? Who are you? Thanks for this drink thingy, I feel a lot better. Is it okay if I call you Angel?"

He gave me one of those looks people reserve only for the weirdest of weirdos. "…Right. We've been sent the order to withdraw. We have to get back to the vessel immediately."

He stood up and helped me to my feet, then stepped onto the stone path curving around the gradual slope of a hill.

I took in the scene around me. We were standing on some sort of hill, the path leading down to a set of stairs. Sloping upwards, the path curved away around the hill, and the cliff obstructed my view.

The boy scuffed my arm. "Selphie should be in the Central Square. Let's go!"

Okay, then. Clearly, I was supposed to comply. I picked the bloodstained dagger off the ground, and finding no place to put it, awkwardly wrapped it in my skirt seam (a skirt that wasn't even mine).

"Where'd you get that?" he asked as I joined him on the path.

"It was lodged in my chest."

His eyes went wide, and he opened his mouth – and faltered.

Dense silence; before distant clank clank clank tore through the air. The sound became louder and louder, as if something terrible was approaching.

We stared wide-eyed at each other.

The clanking was starting to reach deafening levels. I looked around frantically; trying to figure out which direction the sound was coming from.

A blur of navy blue materialized from the top of the cliff, as if the cliff had just spit out the figure of a young, blond man. He was followed closely by a brown-haired girl in similar military-style clothes.

"RUN!" the blond shouted as he came closer. His face held a manic adrenaline of the likes I had never seen before. He zoomed by us and lumbered off down the stairs without so much as a backwards glance, the brunette hot in his tracks.

The next moment, my ears exploded as something metallic scraped against stone. I covered my ears and gaped as another boy in navy appeared around the corner. He ran towards us, brown hair flying and face a mask of horror.

Clomping six feet behind him was what appeared to be a metallic spider the size of two fully-grown elephants. My heart stopped. What the hell is that? But I didn't have time to ponder on the existence of this abomination as the beast lumbered its way down towards us.

It swiped at the boy with its gigantic pincers, but he was a fast runner, and managed to evade its attack.

A tug on my sleeve was all I needed to break into a sprint. Adrenaline took over all other feelings as the three of us ran down the hill.

The only sound that mattered was the clank clank of the robot spider behind us. We soon reached a stone bridge, and galloped across, until, halfway through, the telltale clanking stopped.

Silence, followed by a whoosh as the monster jumped. A look upwards revealed masses of wires and circuits holding the legs of the beast intact.

I dived out of the way just as the beast landed with a thud and scraping of metal on stone. Pushing myself off the ground, my heart sinking, I realized that we were trapped; and Angel was nowhere to be seen. The beast stared us down with eight glinting, scarlet eyes, swaying side to side with metallic clinking sounds.

"Hit it with lightning spells!" shouted the other boy, who unsheathed a sword-type weapon from his belt buckle, raised it above his head, and charged at the beast.

Sword and metal spider leg collided with a shower of sparks, causing the spider to roar and recoil slightly. He raised his sword once more and aimed at the face, but couldn't get any further. Pincers the size of a four-seat sedan lunged at the boy, but he jumped back just in time.

Slightly panting, he turned to me. "It's carrying Doubles! Draw-cast, then hit it with your Lightning spells!"

I stared. He'd spoken plain English, but it sounded like a bunch of gibberish.

Though before I could ask him to clarify, there was a crack of thunder, accompanied by a violent flash of lightning directly above the spider, followed by another, stronger flash of lightning. The beast roared its terrifying, grating roar and swayed a little on the spot, the top of its ugly head smoking.

"Izzy! Squall!" came the muffled cries of Angel from the other side of the bridge. What was he still doing here, and why was he yelling out random words?

The moment of pondering came at a heavy price. After it was too late, I saw the massive pincers reach for me. I stood horrified as the metal contraptions grabbed me around the middle, and with a jerk, lifted me clean off the ground.

No time to react; blade sharp metal pierced my sides as they squeezed tightly before letting go. I dropped to the ground in a heap.

'Summon me.'

Trembling, I pushed myself off the ground. The sword-carrying boy now stood facing the beast, which had somehow turned around so its back was to us. He seemed to be concentrating on something, and a moment later, he extended his arms to shoot out a bolt of lightning straight at the spider.

'Natasha!'

I faltered, unsure, because the hearing disembodied voices inside one's head could only mean bad news. The voice kept a refrain of my name and the words "Summon me!" in a frantic yell, which I tried hard to ignore. I had more pressing matters to attend to.

The sword-boy was thrown backwards as the spider turned again with the grinding of gears. I immediately went over to help him off the ground.

Other than looking slightly shaken, he was unhurt, and taking my offered hand, he got up. He batted dirt-stained dark brown hair out of his face and looked around for his blade, blue eyes flitting frantically.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

I turned around to come face to face with eight bright red eyes in a metal face. Crap!

'Call me into battle. Quezacotl. I can destroy the X-ATM092.'

The spider was getting closer.

I closed my eyes tightly.

'Hurry!'

"Quasa-kettle!"

Nothing.

Shing! The boy had found his blade and held it against the spider's pincers, holding it back from attacking him.

What the hell do I do?

Suddenly, miraculously, a surge of power overtook me. I held up my hands, which had started to glow a pale yellow, but soon I felt as if the power was slowly escaping, as if a spirit had decided to no longer possess me.

I caught a whiff of rain and looked up into the sky. Thunder erupted as dark clouds overhead started gathering in a whirlpool of energy. Flashes of lightning lit up the mass of gray, randomly striking each other, until one monstrous bolt escaped and snapped at the ground. But the bolt didn't disappear. The ground sparked, and from the sparks appeared a giant green and yellow bird, wrapped in a cocoon of tattooed wings.

The mighty bird rose into the sky and spread itself, displaying its strength and beauty. Lightning gathered at its chest in a growing ball of energy. The bird flapped its wings once, twice, and the ball of lightning blew up, sending showers flying at the robot spider.

The spider recoiled, and was sent hurtling back a few feet, roaring in its meat-grinder way.

As soon as it had started, everything ended. The bird gave a cry of triumph, and flew off into the whirlpool of clouds. When it disappeared, the sky cleared once more, leaving no trace of what had just happened.

With a groan of metal, the giant spider collapsed on itself, charred and smoking.

"Let's go!" the boy exclaimed gruffly, and lodged himself between the spider and the wall.

After he had gone through, I shimmied my way through the space; wary that the monstrous robot might squish me against the wall, and trying hard not to gag at what smelled like burning fuel.

"We have to get back to the vessel!" yelled Angel, and led the way as the three of us headed across the bridge.

We piled into a dingy street when a groan of metal was heard, followed by clanking that signified that the robot spider was very much alive. Ears pounding, I barely wondered how it was still moving. The clanking followed us down the street, accompanied by the rumbling and crashing as buildings behind us fell to the ground. We passed a fountain, which moments later would be crushed by the beast. Blindly, we ran through an alley, the spider's footsteps not far behind.

Finally, the sight of a beach littered with large black ships allowed for relief. Down a flight of stone steps we went, our feet landing softly on the sand.

The beach was littered with departing ships, and I blindly followed the boys towards the only one that had its door ajar. In the doorway, I saw the blond boy frantically waving us over. He yelled something inaudible and disappeared within the ship.

I followed the boy who had found me as we sprinted across the beach, and onto the metal steps of the vessel door. Panting, I took a look back to see the sword boy still sprinting furiously towards the vessel, the robot spider not far behind him.

By some miracle, the spider was suddenly racked with a barrage of bullets. The deafening pop pop pop was coming from on top of the ship, where a young woman handled a stationary machine gun. She kept firing until all I could hear of the spider was a dying groan.

The boy furiously ran towards us, but for some reason it felt as if he was running backwards...

"Squall! Come on man!" I turned to see the blond boy next to me, his eyes brimming with worry. The ship had started to move, and the gate started to close. We watched anxiously as at he leaped into the air and barely made it into the vessel door just as it snapped shut behind him with a groan of metal.

For a moment, no one spoke. Sword boy pulled himself into sitting position, his breathing laboured and uneven.

"Are you okay?" whispered the brunette. She offered him a hand, and pulled him up.

The ship suddenly jerked, and then fell into a steady motion. Without a word, the group made their way inside the cabin, which was a cramped room with two rows of seats and a slab of wood serving as a table. I followed them, trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. Where in the world am I?

I looked around at the haphazard group, but no one met my eyes. I didn't blame them, everyone looked shocked and dazed. We all shuffled around quietly when finally a distraction arrived in the form on a thin, young woman. She looked at a piece of paper on a clipboard she carried in her arms. Why isn't anyone fazed? Everyone in the cabin stared at the blonde in anticipation, but no one questioned why a robotic spider had chased us off. Did these people face something like this everyday?

"The mission was a success. You all did a great job." Said the blonde suddenly. Mission? Success? It nearly killed us! Her eyes collided with mine for a split second before she looked away.

What threw me off was that she showed no signs of surprise. Surely, I must have been out of place here. I looked around the room, slowly looking at each person. There was the boy who had found me on the hill, whose name I was pretty sure wasn't Angel. He stood gazing dreamily out of the window; brown hair caked with mud. He was tall and lanky, with rather skinny limbs.

On the seat next to him sat a smug-looking boy with a pale face marred only by a gash running down his forehead, and golden slicked back hair. He slumped inside a loose-fitting white trench coat and casually rested his feet on the table. Opposite him sat the spiky-haired blond boy from earlier, who, I now noticed, had a jet-black tribal tattoo covering the entire left side of his face. He gave me a thumbs-up when he caught me looking. I diverted my attention to the brunette sitting next to him. She was humming quietly, apparently oblivious to the tension around the room. Next to her sat the sword boy. He stared at the ground without moving, his dark brown hair covering up his face. Lastly, the blonde woman stood next to the entrance with her arms crossed, watching everyone in the room.

All of the occupants except for the trench coat wore dark blue uniforms, including me. Have I been forced to join some kind of organization? The uniforms were not what stood out, though. It was the strangeness of their faces. Each face was eerily perfect, with smooth, almost waxy skin, and prominent features. They looked like animate mannequins; all beautiful but foreign at the same time. Clearly, I wasn't anywhere near home or school.

I closed my eyes to try and remember how I'd possibly gotten here. I got kicked out of class, Rachael followed me out… then Trevor and I were driving home. Oh my God, the crash! My eyes shot open. The sorceress! Had she brought me here? Were these people working for her?

"Are you okay? You seem confused," commented a low voice, snapping me away from my thoughts.

I turned to the side to see that the boy I'd started calling Angel had stepped away from the window. He gazed at me with a worried expression.

Taken aback, I replied, "Um… what's going on?"

He chuckled. "You mean, what's going to happen with the results? I'm nervous too." He glanced at the blond woman briefly. "But I think we did pretty well."

I stared at him blankly.

"Don't worry, we'll be at Balamb soon, so let's relax before going back to Garden."

Balamb? I had never heard that name before, much less knew what part of the world it belonged in! I must be really far from home…

"Are you okay? You're looking a little clammy." He cocked his head to the side, a hint of concern shadowing his eyes.

Do we know each other? I gulped. "What's going on? Where am I? And why am I here?"

"Izzy. Is something wrong?" it was the blonde this time. She stepped closer, watching me with the same, worried expression as Angel.

"My name isn't…" I trailed off. Did these people think I was someone else? Is that why no one had mentioned my obvious difference? I looked around the room again. surely, I must have stood out among these people, but everyone seemed oblivious "You have the wrong chick, lady!"

That invited inquiring looks from the other residents of the room. I looked from one face to the next, trying to find a trace of familiarity. I backed up a few paces, my heart racing at the thought that I'd been kidnapped or something. So what if none of them seemed malicious?

Pretty boy took a step towards me, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Izzy, what-"

"Stop calling me that!" Panicking, I pushed through him and fled through the door opposite. I had to, no, needed, to get away from these people. I slammed the door shut and locked it behind me. Nothing made sense. All I wanted to do was go home, or at least somewhere familiar.

I took a deep breath and fumbled for a light switch, and with a click, the room was lit. In front of me stood a girl with blood down her shirt staring at me. I screamed in surprise, and the girl did the same. We stared at each other with wide eyes, and it was then I noticed that I was staring into a mirror. I gingerly extended my hands to touch the mirror, and the girl inside reached for me. That's not me… Everything about her, me, was different. Her wheat-colored hair complemented a pair of round, pale blue eyes. Where was my short black hair? I stared at the baby blue eyes that were so different from my hazel ones.

Reaching a shaking hand to touch her… my face, I realized that I was one of them. No one had noticed my difference because I wasn't different. I felt my throat constrict and my breaths came out as shallow gasps. This couldn't be possible. I had to be dreaming. Things like this didn't happen in the real world. What the hell had the sorceress done? Was I dead or something? I mean, this was definitely not what I would have imagined any kind of afterlife to be like.

Maybe it's not the real world. Of course, I was either dreaming, or in a coma from the car accident. I had to be in a coma; perhaps the sorceress didn't even exist. Shudders overcame my body. I didn't know which thought was scarier: the possibility of a psycho woman sending me to a weird, hellish world, or me losing my mind and dreaming up all of it.

There came a sudden tapping on the door, pulling my attention away from the mirror. "Izzy, it's Nida. Are you okay? Did something happen? You screamed."

So in this coma my name was Izzy, and I knew these people. This I could accept. At that moment, I decided that, yes, this had to be some weird ass dream or coma, because as long as it was in my mind, I could control it.

I inhaled deeply before opening the door. The boy named Nida's concerned face greeted me. I cleared my throat and grinned widely. "I'm fine."

"Is there-"

I managed a nervous giggle. "Nope!" I turned to everyone else, "I was totally joking earlier! You should have seen your faces!"

Before Nida could get in another word, I crossed the room to sit on the seat next to the trench coat boy. I smiled at him and he looked at me as if I was deranged.

Now that I knew I was dreaming, I would wake up soon, and life would be normal. I would bitch and moan about having to go to Jerkass Jake's class, but it would be okay, because everything would be fine. I sighed and leaned back into the seat. There's nothing to worry about.


	3. A dream within a dream, perhaps?

Awkward tension hung in the air like a blanket of silence and nobody's eyes met. To keep from completely freaking out, I'd been, with some amusement, watching the silent battle that ensued between two of the guys. The spiky-haired tattooed one kept glaring at the trench-coat-wearing Draco Malfoy lookalike, who would smirk every now and then.

I blissfully ignored the strange looks Nida kept giving me. I didn't think going around saying I was dreaming all this would be the best thing to do. If that didn't land me in a loony bin somewhere, it would probably launch everyone into avoidable existential crisis that they would blame me for forever. Did I really want to alienate myself that way? I think not! Besides, was I a hundred percent sure this was a dream? Could there be a possibility – a very tiny one – that this was real? The back of my neck prickled. No, I wouldn't allow myself to believe that.

"Dammit, Seifer! How can you be so selfish?"

Jolted from my mind-ramble, I stared at the spiky blond, whose face was turning quite red.

"Next time stay out of my way then," drawled trench coat guy. He leaned back in the seat, and added, "Chicken-wuss."

Chicken-wuss? He's joking right?

Apparently he wasn't, because it succeeded in royally pissing off tattoo guy. Drawing his fists, he jumped out of his seat, scowling and breathing heavily. "Say that to my face!"

"Chike-"

"Knock it off! Zell, calm down."

All eyes turned to the blonde woman standing by the door. Crossing her arms over her chest, she scowled at the two boys.

Grumbling, Zell the tattoo guy settled back in his seat, arms crossed and one leg perched defiantly over the other.

I heard low chuckling and turned to look at Seifer, who smirked, blue eyes dancing with mirth. He was enjoying the other boy's tantrum.

Ugh. I made a mental note to stay away from him.

The room now sat in quiet discomfort. I looked at Nida, who, without my notice, had slid into the seat next to me. He was observing Zell with furrowed brows.

Zell was red-faced and glaring at Seifer, as if he would somehow spontaneously combust. "How can you be so cold-blooded?" he yelled suddenly, flexing his fist at Seifer. "Dollet was destroyed!"

Seifer waved a hand in the air dismissively.

Zell's face became redder.

Before a brawl could break out, Sword guy spoke up, "Seifer was the squad leader."

Seifer's expression hardened. "Exactly, and as leader, I couldn't just stand around while those Galbadian losers were running around everywhere."

"You put people at risk, Seifer," said the blond woman quietly from her place at the door.

Seifer turned to her, his mouth slightly open.

"Xu's squad had to be broken up in order to bring you back. Some of them were nearly killed." She glanced at me before continuing. "Because of your decision, Dollet soldiers died." She walked over to the table to stand right in front of him.

"Instructor…if we hadn't gone after them, we never would've found out about the communication tower. In the long run, I did the right thing." His voice was calm, but expressed a very subtle note of pleading.

"This was a test, Seifer, not some personal glory run. You disobeyed direct orders."

Seifer rolled his eyes. "Orders…I relied on my gut, and look at how right it turned out to be!"

The instructor scoffed, "It wasn't your decision to make." She shook her head, "be sure that you will be disciplined once we get back to Garden." She stepped back coldly, and resumed her position by the door, signifying that the conversation was over.

"Whatever," Seifer huffed. He got up and walked to the door, deliberately bumping into the instructor as he disappeared above the stairs.

She shook her head, sighed, and sat down in the now unoccupied seat. The room once again went silent. So we had been part of a war alongside Dollet, the city that had so thoroughly been destroyed.

Hmm, what kind of dream is this? A battle; so did that mean these people were soldiers? They sure didn't look like soldiers. How old were they anyway? They definitely didn't seem any older than twenty-one.

I looked around the room. Zell seemed to have calmed down, and was now looking at the small, flippy-haired girl with glazed eyes, who gestured excitedly as she babbled on. The sword-carrying boy named Squall seemed rather bored as he sat back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. I noticed that he had a scar running down his forehead ending below his eye, like Seifer. Aside from the scar, his face had the same eerie quality of perfection to it, as if it had been molded from wax.

I looked to the instructor sitting next to me. From a closer angle, I could see her delicate features. She also looked mannequin-like; all smooth hair and pouty lips. Like the others, she also wore a uniform jacket with a knee-length skirt, except hers was black with gold and red trim. So they were part of some organization, and apparently so was I. But what exactly was I a part of? And why was I transformed into a tall blonde who didn't look a thing like me? Sure I'd once wanted to dye my hair sunshine yellow, but this was ridiculous.

Feeling my neck prickle, I finally stopped avoiding Nida's gaze.

"What was all that about earlier?" he asked, watching me intently.

I shrugged and managed a grin. "N-nothing." Why must you ask me? I'd never been great at lying.

"Izzy, did something strange happen? You were gone a long- what?"

I changed my cringe to a neutral expression. I'd seriously have to get used to the name Izzy. Shaking my head, I answered, "Listen, can we talk later?"

He opened his mouth.

"I'll explain everything, I promise."

My stomach curled as he slowly nodded, then looked away towards the map hanging on the opposite wall. Hopefully, I won't have to explain anything. I had to wake up sooner or later right?

Left alone with my thoughts, I could focus on figuring out how exactly I'd gotten here. The sorceress, did she bring me here or something? But how? Had we drove? Taken a plane? Where in the world was this place anyway?

Actually, now that I thought about it, the sorceress shared similar features with these people. Her skin had been smooth and waxy, her face perfectly symmetrical, like a doll. Her tawny eyes had pierced through me. I shuddered as I remembered her cold touch, her determined face as she approached me. And what happened to Trevor? My heart sinking, I wondered if he'd managed to get out of there, if he'd even had to face her.

I wonder…

"Hey, do you know a sorceress?" I asked Nida. My neck prickled as all eyes turned to me.

He looked at me questioningly. "Sorceress? Adel was destroyed seventeen years ago, Izzy." He smirked. "I didn't know you were failing history?"

Damn it! I smiled weakly, "I-I'm not, just, you know, curious."

"Did you meet someone suspicious on the mission, Izzy?" the instructor asked.

More like, she's the reason I'm here. "No, no one suspicious on the mission." Probably wreaking horror in my home, is all.

Bespectacled ice-blue eyes scrutinized me with skepticism. I felt sweat prickling at my temples and prayed for her to look away. I didn't want to reveal anything yet, especially the fact that I wasn't Izzy.

"You know, my Grandfather fought in the last Sorceress war," Zell declared proudly, claiming the attention of everyone in the room. He started detailing an elaborate war story he had heard from his grandfather. I tried to pay attention, but could not help but breathe a sigh of relief as I leaned back into my seat. I couldn't afford to have more slip-ups like this. It was bad enough I was in an unknown place, but these people seemed to know who I was, and I wasn't about to alienate myself from them.

Nida nudged my arm, and I turned my face to be met with his questioning eyes. He opened his mouth but I shook my head. I mouthed "later," and smiled. He smiled back weakly, his face a mask of concern. I knew that smile. It was the 'You-better-tell-me-what's-wrong' smile; the same smile I usually received from my friends if I tried to lie to them.

Guilt gnawed at my insides. Izzy had a life here, and friends. What would happen if they found out I wasn't Izzy? Was she even real? What had happened to her? Was she in my body, or had she died during the battle? Not many people get stabbed in the chest and live to tell the tale. Yet here I was, alive and well. I looked down at where the knife wound should have been, which Nida had so easily healed in seconds. So he wasn't an angel, but that kind of healing power wasn't exactly normal. How could I be unscathed when the memory of removing the dagger was so fresh in my mind? The chill of the blade as it passed through flesh; Surely, I couldn't have imagined that. I sighed and leaned back into my seat.

Nida's healing wasn't the only weird thing I'd seen so far. There was Squall's lightning spells that he'd shot at the spider. And how the hell could I explain that bird monster made of lightning? He'd talked in my head, which was totally bizarre. So big deal, magic and monster summoning exist in this place. I was either in a really advanced alternate reality, or lying in a white, padded room somewhere with a straitjacket.

In any case, there was no need worrying about what did and didn't make sense. The fact was, I was in a strange world, and until I was able to find information about the Sorceress, I would have to be part of this world. Surely, she'd be able to send me back to my own reality, wherever that was.

Sighing, I snuggled deeper into the seat and tried to look interested in Zell's story. I better start by getting to know who these people are.

The rest of the ride to Balamb was thankfully uneventful. I listened to Zell spew random facts about Garden's history. Soon everyone in the room joined in to discuss the war between Dollet and the Galbadian army. I listened closely to their conversations, picking up tidbits about the military organization of which we were a part. I had always been imaginative, but it was unlikely that my mind would come up with something as vast as an army called SeeD trained in mercenary academies called Garden all over the world (which, judging by the map displayed on the wall, didn't look anything like Earth.) I no longer had any doubt in my mind that no matter how much I wanted it to be, this was not a dream.

Soon enough, a groan of metal signified the ship coming to a stop. A burst of sunlight welcomed us as we piled out of the ship and onto a small pier. The saltwater smell combined with the gentle sighing of the waves was a welcome contrast to the war zone we had left behind.

"Finally! Fresh air!" exclaimed the brunette, stretching out her arms and sighing.

Seifer sauntered down from the ship deck next, smug smirk pasted on his face. After exchanging a few words with his friends who waited at the dock, Seifer walked off with them towards the parking lot.

I looked around the pier, taking in the calming scenery. Ships like the one we had traveled in were docked closely; their doors open to allow students entry onto the pier. Students milled around the ships, talking excitedly to each other. I inhaled the salty sea breeze pleasurably. The fresh ocean smell always brought thoughts of beaches and lighthouses, although I had never been anywhere near a lighthouse. I looked towards the other end of the pier. It also served as a parking lot, beyond which was visible the back of a cobblestone building. A road curved around it to what I assumed must be the entrance. Seagull calls overhead coupled with the sighing ocean waves were very calming. I ginned lazily at Nida.

"It's so nice here," I sighed.

He grinned back. "I know. We should visit more often."

Thunk thunk. Footsteps on the wooden platform announced the Instructor exiting the ship. "Good job!" She smiled at everyone in turn. Her brow furrowed when she noticed an absence. "Where's Seifer?"

Squall pointed towards the parking lot, where Seifer was boarding a vehicle with his two friends. I stared at the car, which looked like the production of a minivan's sordid love affair with an army jeep. It was bright yellow with glaring moss-green doors and huge front view windows.

I promptly turned back to the Instructor.

"Dismissed!" she finished. I started to follow the others toward the parking lot, but felt a hand on my shoulder hold me back.

"Can I have a word, Izzy?" the instructor watched me sternly.

I stepped away from the group.

The Instructor watched them leave, and then turned to me. "I have complete confidence that if you saw someone suspicious, you would come forward."

What's this about?

"We're all affected if something happens to Garden."

Oh! She's talking about the Sorceress. "I wouldn't hide anything as important as that, Instructor." Unless you guys are actually affected by it.

Her face softened. "That's good to hear." She smiled. "By the way, how are you doing? We almost lost you out there, so it's great to see you in one piece."

I inwardly groaned. Once more I wondered if the girl had died in order for me to be in her body. "I'm fine." As fine as I can be in this situation anyway.

That answer seemed to satisfy her, and she turned to the open door of another ship, where another young girl seemed to be waiting for her. I stared after the instructor blankly. How long till these people discover I'm not who they think I am? It was a wonder I had kept my identity a secret.

"Izzy!"

How do I figure out how to get out of here?

"Izzy, over here!"

Why the hell am I here in the first place?

A hand on my arm snapped me away from my thoughts. I turned to see the brunette's smiling face. "Everyone's waiting!" she exclaimed.

Surprised, I mumbled an apology and followed her toward the arched entryway leading into the town of Balamb. I have to get used to the name Izzy. We joined the three boys on the pathway and made our way through the arch into Balamb.

"What happened to the car?" I asked.

Zell scoffed. "Seifer drove off with it."

I walked into step beside him. "Seifer's just a ray of sunshine, isn't he?"

He shook his head. "Are you kiddin'? He's an asshole!"

Taken aback by his outburst, I just stared. Did he not get sarcasm or something?

"He just thinks too highly of himself," mumbled Squall from ahead of us. I looked at him in surprise, expecting him to elaborate. He didn't turn around to see if I would reply, but kept walking as if he hadn't spoken at all. I shrugged and followed him.

Behind me, I could hear the girl talking excitedly to Nida. Beside me, Zell walked quietly, seemingly lost in his thoughts. We passed a bright blue brick building which had a sigh hanging over it proclaiming 'Balamb Hotel,' but kept walking down the streets. I wondered where we were going, and more importantly, if anyone there would know about the sorceress.

Balamb seemed like a quaint little town, with winding cobblestone pathways leading to different districts. People walked lazily by, carrying shopping bags, or standing on street corners and enjoying the ocean breeze.

Not watching where I was walking, I nearly ran into Squall. We'd stopped in front of a small, stone building set beneath ground level like a cove. The front yard boasted a small vegetable garden bursting with thick, colourful plants.

"So Garden is an actual garden?" I asked, straightening myself up.

This, obviously, was the wrong thing to say, because everyone became silent to stare at me as if I was losing my mind.

Feeling moronic, I smiled nervously, "just kidding."

"Why have we stopped?" asked Squall.

"I was thinking we could visit my Ma." Zell said rather nervously.

Squall sighed, and then checked his wristwatch. "I guess, but not for long."

Smiling, Zell led us down inside the arched doorway, and into a circular, brightly lit foyer. It was a rather small house, and the six of us seemed to crowd it. I could see a hallway leading into a sitting area ahead of us, while circular stairs led upstairs. The house was painted in calming beige tones, and the clutter afforded a sense of coziness. I couldn't help but feel at home.

I looked at Nida beside me, who seemed to be admiring a painting on the wall. Squall stood awkwardly at the doorway, staring off to the ceiling, while Selphie went around the room, touching pieces of decoration.

Zell walked into the door to our left, which I assumed was the kitchen.

"Ma! I'm home!" he bellowed.

A stout woman with a kind, smiling face turned around from the stove. "Zell!" she hugged him tightly. Her eyes fell on us and she grinned. "Are these your friends?"

Zell turned around and scratched the back of his head. "Sort of."

"Well, don't keep them standing here, Zell! You'll all stay for supper, right?"

Before Zell or anyone else could protest, Zell's mother ushered us into the living room, a circular room with a large window at the end, leading out onto a yard full of bright, lush flowers.

"How pretty!" the girl exclaimed, and ran off to paste herself to the glass.

"Don't make yourselves too comfortable, Selphie."

I turned to Zell in surprise. It seemed impossible not to be comfortable in a house so cozy.

Sitting down on the love seat by the window, I absently looked around the room. My stomach growled. How long has it been since I last ate? The last meal I remembered eating was breakfast before class; I hadn't had time for lunch. Who knows how long ago that was? It was impossible to tell, as the last thing I remembered was darkness. It would have been evening at least since the Sorceress had approached me. Then I ended up here. The clock above the fireplace read 16:30. I sighed. Time had no significance anymore.

I felt someone watching me and looked up to see Nida staring at me intently. I tilted my head to the side. He lightly shook his head, then walked over to sit beside me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You seem different somehow."

The blood drained from my face. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head again, "Just… you don't seem like yourself. The way you're talking, walking, even the way you're interacting with people. Did something happen during the mission?" He looked me straight in the eyes, concern etched in his own.

I felt sweat prickling at my temples. His gaze was searching and familiar. I felt my heart sinking. Clearly, he was close to Izzy, and how would he react once he learned that I wasn't her? I can't let them people know right now.

"Dinner is ready!" Zell's mother proclaimed from the doorway. I turned to her with relief. Saved by food. I got up abruptly and was the first to follow Zell through the hallway into the kitchen.

Nida remained quiet throughout the meal. I suppose he's not one to pry too deeply. Another pang of guilt. It was unfair to Izzy, and her friends that her life was being taken over by me. Not that I was responsible, but I still felt as if I was intruding. I remained quiet as we finished our meal, and after a game of cards between Squall and Zell's mother, set off to leave for Garden. Zell hugged his mother, who waved us out of their house.

The sun was starting to set, so we decided to rent a car. I followed the group quietly, purposefully avoiding Nida, who quietly obliged. We all boarded a red minivan/hummer hybrid car and set on the road towards Balamb Garden.

I really hope I can find her in Balamb Garden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite a short chapter, I know, but the next one is where Izzy's deal will be explained. Stick around!


	4. Of Gardens and Guardian Forces

~Izzy~

Darkness, consuming and unmitigated, pressed in on her body, suffocating, trapping…

Izzy woke with a start, her eyelids like shutters.

Looming over her was the figure of a young man with curly brown hair and a wide, toothy grin.

Izzy gasped and sat up. She looked around the drab white room, taking in the scent of antiseptic with a violent cringe. Finally, she let her gaze settle on the man sitting in a chair next to her bed. He watched her warily and Izzy groaned, thinking of what had happened this time for her to end up in the infirmary.

The man spoke, "Natasha…" he threw his arms around her, drew her close, and whispered, "H-how are you feeling?"

Taken aback, Izzy sat stone-like, until common sense returned to her. She pushed him away. "Never mind that! Just tell me whether I passed or not."

The man's grin instantly vanished. "You could have died and you're asking me about school?"

"Oh no…" Izzy's heart sunk somewhere near her stomach. "I failed didn't I?" She covered her face in her hands, trembling at the thought that she'd failed the SeeD exam because of getting hurt by a Galbadian soldier. It was all Nida's fault! He'd been the one to send her after Tilmitt to find squad B.

Izzy immediately scrambled with the bedcovers to get out, yanking out the tubes attached to her arms. Geez, I didn't know they still used these.

"What are you doing?" a gruff voice accompanied by a strong grip on her shoulders held her back from hurtling out of the bed.

Mustering a disdainful glare, Izzy shook out of his hands. "Who are you?" and why are you manhandling me?

At her words, the man stepped back, eyes wide and unblinking. "Whoa, calm down, N."

"CALM DOWN? I missed half of the exam! Do you know what that means? Where's Dr. Kadowski? I need to leave the infirmary so I can hunt down Nida and kill him!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Amiri, I'm afraid you'll have to put off killing until after we run some tests." A tall man in a white coat walked into the room, a clipboard in his hands and a broad grin on his face.

Izzy stared, then, realizing her mouth was hanging open, gulped and blinked several times. "Tests? There's no need. A Galbadian soldier stabbed me, that bastard, and then I blacked out. All it needed was a hi-potion and a couple of cure spells, and seeing as there's no wound," Izzy cast a glance at her chest and ran a finger over the smooth skin which betrayed no sign of puncture, then continued, "I would say I'm totally free to go. Dr. Kadowski would agree."

The white-coat man scratched the back of his head and looked to the younger man for an explanation, who just shrugged in response, not taking his searching, bewildered eyes off Izzy.

She took the moment of silence to push herself off the bed and straighten up her awful floral-patterned gown.

"Natasha," the young one said.

Izzy continued to fix her hospital gown. Oh, how she hated these exposing, ugly things.

"Natasha," the boy repeated.

Izzy looked at him, confused as to why he kept saying that word. "What are you still doing here? Are you a student at Garden? I've never seen you around."

His eyes narrowed into a searching glare. "Are you feeling okay?"

Izzy raised an eyebrow, "…yes. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to fix myself up before I go back to my room." She turned to the doctor. "Is there a bathroom I could use?"

Wordlessly, the doctor pointed to a door to Izzy's right.

Izzy thanked him and promptly hauled herself into the room. She flicked the light on, only to illuminate the figure of a shocked, young woman.

Blushing from embarrassment, Izzy immediately left the room, head bowed. "There's someone in there," she mumbled dryly, and proceeded to push herself out of the infirmary room. She'd have to sneak into her dorm room without letting anyone see her. The thought of getting caught by the so called "disciplinary committee" made her shudder; Fujjin would never let her live it down if she saw her walking around like this.

She shook the thought away as the realization of unfamiliarity hit her like a speeding Chocobo. Where in Garden is this? Izzy looked around at the brightly-lit hallway, which stretched way longer than the infirmary. Taking a tentative step forward, Izzy wracked her brain to try and make sense of it. She'd been in the infirmary many times, but never had it looked like this.

"Watch out, miss."

Izzy jumped out of the way as a stout nurse pushing a wheelchair passed her. If I'm not in the infirmary, then where am I? She took a quick look around and her breath caught in her throat.

There, in the large, uncovered window in front of her, was a girl looking in from the darkness of the night! My God! Clutching her thumping chest, Izzy sprang to the window and slid it open.

Nothing. Taking a few deep breaths, Izzy slowly started to slide the window closed. "Pull yourself together. You're losing it," she told herself.

There she was again! Izzy glared at the girl, and the girl glared persistently back. "No…" Izzy muttered, and reached out to the window. The window girl reached out for Izzy. Izzy snapped the window open once more.

No one outside. Feeling stupid, Izzy shut the glass forcefully and stared the reflection that wasn't hers. Is this some kind of trick? Izzy grabbed a lock of her hair, watching the reflection copy her. She drew a few ink-black strands in front of her face with numb fingers. What the hell's going on?

"Natasha!"

Izzy spun around to face the curly-haired man from earlier; the doctor looming behind him. Feeling her heart race, she raised an accusing finger at him. "Who did this?" she shrieked.

"Nat-"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

Without waiting for him to say another word, Izzy sprang away and broke into a sprint down the hall. Adrenaline pumped through her body, blinding her from reason. She had to get away; get back to Garden. They would be able to help her; to figure out what kind of sinister magic this was.

She glanced back to see if she was being followed. Mistake. Something hard slammed into her knees and-

Crash!

Izzy went tumbling to the ground with a cartful of bedpans falling over and beside her. Groaning, she pushed herself into sitting position and pushed away the darned objects.

Her face was mere inches from the back of one stray bedpan, and instead of pulling herself off the ground; Izzy stared at the image of an unfamiliar face that stared fearfully back. Her shoulders heaved as sobs escaped her throat. What was going on?

She barely responded as she felt the sting of a needle on her arm. Her body became limp and her eyes closed with lethargy, leaving the thought what's happening to me? reeling in her mind.

~Natasha~

"Whose perfect idea was it to forget extra fuel?" Zell roared, punching the hood of the rental car in fury.

Squall gave him a reproachful look. "We have no choice but to walk." He looked at his watch. "We have at least an hour to get back, we should be fine." He stepped around the car onto the dirt path by the side of the road and turned to us expectantly.

The car had run out of fuel, leaving us stranded in the middle of the road. The nearest gas station was in Balamb Garden, and since that was our destination, walking was the only way to get there. We stood around in the stale summer air. The car had been air conditioned, and the heat was starting to reach blistering levels. After Zell's unproductive attempts to push the car into gear, he had taken to complaining and kicking it, which probably added to the heat.

"Well?" Squall crossed his arms and looked at the rest of us expectantly.

Zell sent a longing look towards the car. " Tch! Guess we really don't have a choice," he grumbled.

The girl named Selphie rolled her eyes. "Come on! It'll be great exercise!" She marched in front of Squall and led the group off the road. "Wait!" She turned around, "Does everyone have their GFs equipped?"

Zell and Squall reached in their pockets.

GF? Equip?

Nida caught my confused expression. "What's wrong?"

"Um… I don't have a GF"

"Where's Quezacotl?"

I shrugged. I hadn't heard his voice since I'd called upon him earlier and he'd flown off.

"Did he get knocked out?"

I shrugged again, feeling stupid.

"Oh," he looked around at everyone. "Does anyone have a G-Returner?"

They shook their heads.

"Here," Selphie pulled something out of her pocket. She walked over and deposited a palm-sized stone into my hands. It was shaped like a tiny ball encapsulated in a pair of pale golden wings. I looked at Selphie's smiling face. "It's Siren. I found her when we were fighting the X-ATM092."

"…Thanks." How is a stone going to help me?

"You're welcome!" She proceeded to pull out an electric yellow stone out of her pocket. Closing her eyes, she gently stroked the stone and it started to emit a strange, unnatural glow. The stone sparkled and disappeared. Selphie opened her eyes, and I noticed that they now had a yellowish spark in the irises. I gaped at her. Did she absorb the stone?

"Aren't you going to equip Siren?" Nida whispered from beside me. I looked at him and noticed that his light brown eyes tinged with a bluish glow.

I averted my gaze to the stone in my hands. Guess I have no choice. Rubbing the smooth surface, I imitated Selphie and closed my eyes. The stone started to vibrate gently in my hands. A tingling sensation overtook my fingers and spread through my arms, slowly reverberating to the rest of my body. It was like being doused in a container of soda, as if tiny bubbles were popping all over my body. I inhaled deeply and felt a heightened sense of smell. My eyes snapped open, and could see the scene in front of me more clearly than before.

'Hello, I am Siren,' proclaimed a soft female voice. I looked around, but somehow it felt as if the voice was just in my head.

"Hi Siren," I whispered tentatively. The others had started walking down the path already, as if unaware of what they had all gone through. I shrugged and followed them.

A strength I never knew I possessed had overtaken me, kind of like I'd suddenly chugged several cans if Redbull. Inhaling deeply, I realized that I could smell the dust around me as if an invisible hand was holding it straight against my nose. Is this what a GF does?

'Get used to it,' said the same female voice.

"Siren?" It was strange talking to a voice inside my head.

'You don't need to talk to me out loud'

I scratched my head. 'Uh…can you hear me?'

'Yes. Nice to meet you, Natasha.'

'You know my real name?'

There was a pause. 'Shouldn't I?' She giggled, a soft tinkling sound. 'I'm your first Guardian Force, aren't I?'

Finally, something I wouldn't have to lie about. 'Yes.'

'I am honored to be of assistance. Just call me when you need my help in battle.' It sounded like she was smiling.

'Thanks' I grinned.

There was no reply. I shrugged and jogged to catch up to the group. I fell into step beside Nida, who gave me a small smile that caused my heart to clutch.

"I thought you got lost," he said.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Lost? Me?"

"Don't cover it up. You get lost going from the library to the dorm!" His smile widened and his eyes sparkled.

Scratching the back of my neck, I looked away. Whether he was exaggerating or not, I didn't know. The rest of the group walked on in silence a little distance ahead. Now that I thought about it, Nida was the quietest one of the group, usually following along at a distance. Squall, I noticed, was pretty quiet too, but the Zell and Selphie seemed to gravitate towards him. Even when we had been walking through Balamb, Nida had been quiet and distant, talking only to me. The others seemed fine with his distance; maybe Nida wasn't even friends with them.

"Hey," Nida brought a hand on my shoulder and I met his gaze. "look, whatever it is, you can tell me."

I gulped. Could I trust him? How did I know that they weren't in league with the sorceress? He'd saved my life, why would he have done that if he was working for her? But then again, he was saving Izzy's life, not mine. My stomach churned. What if Nida could help me find the sorceress? What if he can't and he tells everyone and they leave you to fend for yourself?

Nida reached over and pulled away the strand of hair from my hands; I'd been yanking on it without realizing. I looked up at his concerned face; maybe I can tell him, maybe he can help me. I opened my mouth, thinking of how to even begin, when-

Buzz buzz.

"What is that?" I turned around to be met with the sight of a pale blue insect with shimmering violet wings, except it was the size of a cat and at the moment zooming towards me! I stepped back as four more of the bugs came flying towards us.

Click, BANG! Nida had pulled out a gun, and one of the insects fell to the ground, dead. Zell ran past us towards one of the larger bugs and started pummeling it with his fists. I turned around and saw Selphie with closed eyes and a pair of nunchucks – actual nunchucks – held out in front of her. She muttered under her breath and snapped her eyes open. The insect in front of her erupted in flames, and with a pathetic squeal, fell to the ground.

BUZZ BUZZ. I reacted too late, and one of the bugs dug its pincers into my face. Pain shot into my cheeks and on instinct I shoved its hairy body. I'll show you! I punched it hard in what looked like a face. It recoiled a little, its body sagging away from me. I felt tingling on my face, and was instantly surrounded by a pale blue glow. This looks awfully familiar. Nida had been the one to cure me. I smiled in appreciation, but not for long, as the bug came flying at me again, buzzing furiously. Adrenaline took over, and I put all my focus on the creature.

'Come on, Natasha! You can kill it.' Siren coaxed.

Wham! Bam! Hiyaah! I jumped and dug my heel into the giant insect's face, and it fell, screeching, to the ground. Blind rage overtook me and I stomped on the creature until thick maroon liquid seeped out of every crevice of its hairy body. Die, you nasty bug!

The back of my neck prickled and I looked back to see Zell watching at me with amusement.

"Uh… I think it's dead."

I blushed and looked down at the mass of blue and purple fuzz seeped in maroon that was the creature's carcass.

Selphie and Nida stared at me with identical amused looks. Squall gazed, seeming rather bored with everything. I wiped my feet on the grass and cleared my throat. "Just making sure." My voice came out squeaky.

Zell snorted, barely holding in a laugh. I rolled my eyes. "How was I supposed to know when exactly it died?"

"Because it stopped moving?" Selphie burst out in a fit of giggles, with Zell and Nida snickering along. Even Squall cracked a smile; well, more like a very small smirk.

I turned my back to the group. "Let's just go!" I could barely contain a grin.

'It was overkill, and we could have done without the corny sound effects, but you did pretty well for your first time.'

'Thanks.' It had to be Siren's effect. I wasn't usually so violent. 'I knew those karate classes I took a bazillion years ago had to be for something.'

'It's better to stay and fight than to run away' Siren lectured.

I nodded. 'Well, guess I have to get used to it here.'

'Yes.'

I waited for her to say more, but she didn't.

I let the others lead the way, and followed quietly. The sun was now a bright orange dome hanging low in the periwinkle sky. We walked in silence; the only sound our gentle footsteps on the ground. The air was starting to cool, providing relief from the heat of the afternoon.

In the distance, I could see a large structure. It looked like an inverted chandelier, with glass windows that glinted marvelously. Above the structure, seemingly suspended in mid-air, was a golden halo, adorned with filaments of silver and blue glass that reached out into the sky. A circle of trees served as gates of the building, as if to protect the beauty that must lie within. I could not take my eyes off it. That must be Balamb Garden.

"Wow," I sighed.

"Gets you every time, doesn't it?"

I turned to see that Zell had slowed down to walk next to me. "It's beautiful." I smiled.

He gave me a strange look that I couldn't quite read. "You're acting like it's the first time you've seen it." He chuckled and shook his head. "Anyway, you're quite the scrapper!"

I narrowed my eyes, confused. "Excuse me?"

"Where did you learn Martial Arts? I thought your specialty was the pinwheel?" he went on.

The what? "Um, well, I lost my, uh, pinwheel," I let out a nervous laugh. "So I had to make do." I scratched the back of my head and looked away from him.

"Oh…w-"

"We should hurry or we'll be late!" I interrupted, and quickened my pace to walk with Squall in front of the group. At least he won't ask me any questions. He glanced at me for a second, and then looked towards Balamb Garden again. Or acknowledge my presence for that matter.

Soon enough, we reached the structure known as Balamb Garden. It had looked beautiful from afar, but being closer to it was another thing entirely. It loomed over us invitingly. The golden gates stood apart to allow us entry. I stared in awe as we descended marble steps into the yard. It was spacious and open, with a grand staircase on top of which I could see a row of turnstiles over which hung an arched doorway leading into the building. We walked up the stairs, and I let everyone go ahead of me so I could look around and appreciate the building. A mustached gatekeeper greeted us warmly as we entered the main lobby. It narrowed as we walked towards an area where two hallways curved away from it. Shiny marble floors reflected my face as I gazed in amazement. The gentle sound of running water could be heard, although I couldn't see where it was coming from. I looked at the others, who showed no wonderment at the spectacle. I tried to mimic their nonchalant expressions, but it was difficult as I was in the most beautiful place I had ever seen.

We walked towards what looked like a signboard, in front of which stood the blonde instructor. She was talking to a middle-aged man, and a young black-haired girl in a SeeD uniform.

"Made it just in time," Selphie whispered.

Squall walked up to the instructor and said something I couldn't hear.

She nodded and turned to the rest of us. "You guys finally made it. The results will be announced soon, just stick around here." She smiled and turned back to the man. He must be Headmaster Cid. I vaguely remembered his name popping up during the conversation on the ship. Trying not to stare at him, I wondered how much he had spent on this Garden. He must be loaded. By the looks of it, SeeDs lived a life of luxury. I looked around, and now could see that the hallways curved around a moat of some sort. Ahead of us, there was a staircase leading up to a single elevator. Lush plants adorned the hallways in large vases. A few students walked around, looking relaxed and speaking in hushed tones.

"It's nice to see my squad back in one piece."

I snapped out of my thoughts to see the black-haired girl smiling at me. I noticed that Zell and Selphie had walked off, and Squall stood talking to the headmaster and Instructor.

"I hope we won't lose marks for withdrawing with another squad." Nida said from beside me. I looked between them in confusion. Then I realized something. This must be Xu!

Xu furrowed her brows. "I don't think they'll take marks off for that. The orders were to withdraw and that's what you did." She looked at us and smiled, then walked back towards the others.

Nida breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to me. "I hope we both pass."

I nodded.

He smiled weakly, his forehead glistening with sweat. He must be really nervous.

"Hey, let's go walk around," I said, trying to change the subject. I pulled him towards the right hallway, where Squall had already started walking.

"I'm just going to stay here for a while," Nida said, and nodded for me to go on ahead.

I followed Squall around the hallway, keeping a distance. The sound of flowing water became clearer as I walked. I looked up to see a fountain shaped like a giant fish made of stone with water pouring out of its mouth. There were more of them going around the moat, around which curved the hallway. There were pathways leading away from the hallway into separate rooms. It reminded me of the rims of a wheel; a circle with spokes leading away. I stared around, and barely noticing that Squall had stopped walking, slammed right into him.

A scream involuntarily left me as I tumbled to the ground. Ow... I heard a dry chuckle as I sat up and looked up to see Seifer smirking at me. I glared daggers at him and could feel my cheeks getting hot. If only looks could kill.

"Are you okay?" asked Squall as he offered his hand. I grabbed it and he helped me get back on my feet.

"Yeah, sorry. I didn't realize you stopped walking." I answered, embarrassed that I hadn't been paying attention to where I was going.

He shook his head and turned back to Seifer, who now stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a rather sour expression on his face. He turned to Squall. "Did you hear about the communication tower in Dollet?" he asked.

Squall shook his head.

Seifer scoffed. "We would have been heroes if it weren't for that withdraw Order!" He looked dubious.

Squall shrugged, and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the sound of footsteps heading closer. I turned to see the instructor and Xu walk towards us. Instructor was looking at Seifer with a dubious expression to rival his own.

"You were only looking for a fight," she spat.

Seifer glared at her. "My dear instructor," he said in a mocking tone. "I'm hurt. Those are rather cruel words for an aspiring student." His face contorted in anger as he added, "a mediocre instructor like you will never understand." He smiled without humor.

That was unnecessarily harsh.I looked at Quistis. She stared at Seifer with wide eyes, too shocked to say anything. There was a heavy silence in the air, and I took the opportunity to step away inconspicuously.

I don't need to be a part of that. It had seemed like there was going to be another argument between Quistis and Seifer, and I didn't want to stick around to see how it would go.

I walked towards the nearest hallway, in front of which was a sign that said "Library" in bold blue letters. I walked into the arched, narrow hallway, at the end of which was a large wooden door.

As I walked towards it, it slammed open, and out came a robed man with a flat yellow hat that covered up his face. I stood rooted, staring, as he walked towards me, and passed right by. What in the world is he wearing? I shook my head, shrugged and made my way to the door.

"ALL STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN TODAY'S FIELD EXAM, REPORT TO THE SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY." blared the loudspeakers, making me jump.

I sighed. I guess that would include me.

I arrived at the lobby a couple of minutes later to find it empty. A robed man stood at the other end, blocking the left hallway. As I climbed up the stairs, I saw trench-coat guy getting into the elevator, and rushed to get in. I was pretty sure I would get lost without having anyone to follow.

Ding! The elevator doors closed in on my awkwardness.

"So..." I cleared my throat. "How do you think you did?"

"What's it to you, trying to find out if you were better than me?" he raised a blond eyebrow at me, but there was no hint of jest on his face.

"I was just making conversation," I blurted rather defensively, taken aback by his inexplicable disgust.

Ding. "How about you stop trying to be my friend and stay the hell away from me."

I stared after him as he sauntered out with a swish of his trench coat. I'd never met anyone so unpleasant.

Shaking my head, I followed him out, keeping a distance. But I didn't have far to go. The elevator opened up to a short bridge hanging over the first floor of Garden. It led straight into a corridor, where a crowd of about ten people was gathered.

I could see Zell pacing along the corridor, disappearing and reappearing from view. Spotting Nida leaning on the far side wall, I went over to him. He looked up from his shoes as he saw me approach, his face looking pale and clammy.

He gulped, then whispered, "I wish they would hurry up."

"I know! This tension is killing me!" squealed the flippy-haired girl from earlier whose name I'd forgotten. "Oh good, the faculty member is here."

There was a sudden noise like a cat coughing up a fur ball. We all turned to the figure of a robed man, who stood rigidly in the doorway. He seemed to be concentrating on a scroll in his abnormally large hands before looking up. "Please proceed to the Headmaster's office if I call your name," he spoke in a jarringly guttural voice, and I resisted the urge to stick my fingers in my ears.

"Tilmitt, Selphie," he continued.

The flippy girl jumped and clapped her hands before skipping out into the hallway.

Nida's name was called next. He looked around disbelievingly for a few seconds, before taking a deep breath and soberly walking out into the hallway.

When, "Dincht, Zell" was called, it was as if an explosion had taken place. Zell pumped a fist in the air enthusiastically, screamed, "Oh yeah!" and marched band-geek style out of the corridor.

Watching Zell go, the robed faculty member shook his head and cleared his throat again. "Squall Leonhart from Squad B. Please step forward."

I looked at Squall and smiled. He nodded, and walked off after Zell, a slight strut in his step. Seifer rolled his eyes.

After Squall had completely disappeared, the faculty member cleared his throat in that cat-coughing-up-fur-ball way. "Kou." He looked around. "Kou, Izzy."

"WHAT?" I yelled, drawing all eyes on me. I felt my face flush as I stared at the man in disbelief.

"Please step forward," he said rather sternly, staring at me pointedly.

This can't be right. I stepped out of the hallway and onto the bridge. There has to be a mistake. I followed Squall and Zell as they got into the elevator. Zell was absolutely beaming. Squall was composed, but there was a spark in his eyes that I hadn't yet seen. I'll just have to explain that I'm not Izzy, they'll understand.

We stepped out onto a lush scarlet rug when the elevator opened. In front of us stood open a double door through which stood Selphie and Nida. They faced away from us. We stepped inside the room, which was an office with an oak desk facing a floor-to-ceiling window. The sun had nearly set by now, shading the sky in hues of pink and violet. The Headmaster stood in front of his desk, with one of the robed men next to it. I stepped beside Nida, who, along with the others, was saluting. I looked ahead to see the Headmaster smiling at us, his eyes sparkling. I saluted him nervously. What have I gotten into?

"First of all, congratulations." He looked at each of us in turn. His gaze was warm, but it didn't erase the feeling of dread knowing at my stomach. "However," he continued, "From now on, as members of SeeD, you will be dispatched all over the world." He beamed. "We are proud to introduce SeeD, Balamb Garden's mercenary soldiers." He paused for effect. "SeeD soldiers are combat specialists. But, that is only one aspect of SeeD. When the time comes…"

The robed man standing next to him cut him off. "Headmaster. It's almost time for the meeting. Please make this short."

Headmaster Cid's smile faltered for a second. He cleared his throat to speak, but was cut off again.

"SeeD is a valuable asset to the Garden." We all turned towards the robed man. "Its reputation is solely dependant on each one of you. Handle your mission with care." His voice had a slight warning tone.

I gulped. Just tell the headmaster what your situation is.

"Here is your rank report." The man declared. He looked at Headmaster Cid expectantly. The Headmaster stepped up to Selphie and handed her a piece of paper. He whispered something to her and she smiled. Next he turned to Nida, handed him his report, and whispered, "Do your best, even if you don't stand out."

Not stand out? He looks like he descended from a freaking Greek god!

Cid walked in front of me. I looked up at him, feeling sweat prickling at my forehead. He smiled, the sides of his eyes crinkling. He handed me a report. "We thought we lost you out there, but you showed admirable perseverance," he whispered. I gave him a weak smile and he moved over to give Zell his report. I looked down at the piece of paper. There were marks based on various areas of battle.

After handing Squall his report, Headmaster Cid stood once more in the middle of the room. He beamed. "This ends the SeeD inauguration. Dismissed!"

The group broke up, and the others walked out of the room. I stood awkwardly. I have to tell him. My heart was pounding.

"Headmaster Cid must get to a meeting. Is there something of importance?" asked the robed man.

I gulped. How am I going to say it?

'Don't tell them.'

'Siren? You know?'

'Trust me, you shouldn't say anything.' Her voice sounded urgent and demanding.

"Well?"

I looked up at the robed man, still unable to see his face. Headmaster Cid looked at me expectantly. I felt my stomach sinking. "I, uh…"

'Don't do it'

"Um… I just wanted to thank you." I mumbled. I gave him a weak smile, and promptly turned around and jogged out of the room.

'Why did you stop me?' I asked Siren angrily. She didn't answer. 'Siren!'

'I read your brain frequencies. As time goes by, I understand more about you.'

'But why did you stop me? He could have helped me!'

'Look, I know you're angry, but just trust me, okay?' Her voice was commanding, but there was a subtle pleading tone to it.

I sighed. 'Are you going to tell me?'

I felt Siren's annoyance overtake my anger. 'You'll know in time. I can detect danger, and that's what I felt was coming.' Her tone had finality to it, and I didn't argue any further.

I sighed. "I hope I can trust you."

'Definitely!' She sounded cheery all of a sudden, but didn't say any more.

I sighed, trying to ignore that a new feeling of hopelessness that had accumulated itself around my chest. If I couldn't tell the Headmaster, where else would I get information about the sorceress?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to end it there. I hate changing canon, but for the purposes of this story, I needed Izzy to become a SeeD. And it doesn't horribly alter canon either, so no harm done :)
> 
> *The review button is lonely and awaits your cursor to click it*
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. The Inauguration Ball

To say I was angry with Siren was an understatement. As I stepped out of the elevator, I was positively seething knowing that there wasn't anything I could do about the situation. Siren remained quiet, which added fuel to the fire. The others didn't seem to notice my sour mood, and I was glad. I didn't want to ruin their happiness over having passed their exam. I bet this is what Izzy would have wanted. Once again, I felt my heart sink in guilt. It was unfair that I was living her life here. I wonder if she's living mine…

Zell was marching back and forth, smiling like the Cheshire cat. Upon seeing me, he waved. Selphie chanted, "SeeD, SeeD, SeeD!" over and over again whilst skipping from one end of the hallway to the next. I couldn't help but smile, feeling my anger ebb away. I can at least make the best of the situation while I'm still here. Their happiness was contagious. I looked over at Nida, who was standing next to Squall. Both stood looking over the railing quietly, each lost in their thoughts. I went to stand next to Nida and leaned over the railing. Below, I could see the Garden lobby where two girls sat on a bench playing cards.

"We made it, huh?" Nida whispered.

I turned to him. He seemed as if he couldn't quite believe it himself.

I nodded.

"After seventeen years of suffering, I feel like my chance has finally arrived."

I gaped at him. Suffering? "You were great, Nida. Don't underestimate yourself."

He chuckled nervously. "Yeah, so were you." He scratched the back of his head, grinning nervously. Maybe he's not used to receiving complements.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Squall looking at us. He had an unreadable expression on his face, which was wiped off as soon as he saw me look.

"Guys!" Zell boomed from behind us.

We turned around to see Zell and Selphie watching us expectantly.

"Let's go give one hell of a speech!" Zell pumped a fist in the air. He led the way down the bridge into the hallway. I followed the group at a bit of a distance. If there's a speech, I'd rather be inconspicuous. We reached the hallway, where the rest of the students waited. Seifer was the first person to start clapping, and soon all of the other students joined in. I looked at Seifer. He had a firm smile painted on his face, a smile that did not reach his eyes. He seemed to be looking at Squall in particular, his pale blue eyes glinting.

Zell led the way down the hall, which I noticed was spacious with a high ceiling. It also had marble floors and pot lights. Talk about luxury. We walked into the open door on the left, which turned out to be a classroom. The students that had not passed went to sit at the desks, while the rest of us stood around awkwardly, waiting for someone to break the silence.

"Congratulations!" I turned around to see that Quistis had entered the room, followed by Xu and a man I didn't recognize.

I felt someone nudge my arm and turned to see Nida staring at the man. "What's Instructor Alaric doing here?"

I shrugged in reply. Out of all the people you can ask…

Instructor Alaric smiled at each of us before moving to stand in front of the teacher's desk. I gaped at him as he walked past. His dark-brown hair fell in waves down to his shoulders, and he had sparkling emerald eyes that I couldn't look away from. He seemed to command the attention of everyone in the room by the simple act of stepping in front of the desk. I shook my head and wiped off my grin. Stop staring at him like an idiot.

"I'd like to congratulate our newest SeeDs." Alaric had a silky voice and spoke with an unidentifiable accent. He applauded, turning to face our group, and soon the rest of the class joined in.

"If you could step up and say a few words?" Alaric gestured to us.

Zell was the first to step in front of the class. He scratched the back of his head and cleared his throat. "Well, uh, we're really happy that we became SeeDs…" He grinned awkwardly while the rest of the classroom stared. Way to make an eloquent speech, Zell.

'You shouldn't mock him.'

'Yeah, yeah. I'm bad at public speaking.' I rolled my eyes. Siren giggled, and I couldn't help but crack a smile.

There was a heavy silence as all eyes stared at us. Squall stepped up next to Zell. "SeeD is a valuable asset to the Garden, and we will do out best to represent Garden and all that it stands for," he recited.

He totally stole that from the inauguration speech.

There was a tense silence as everyone waited for more, but Squall remained quiet. Alaric started speaking to the room, but I didn't pay attention. Something had just occurred to me. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that I was a SeeD. Headmaster Cid had said that SeeDs were dispatched all over the world. If someone in Balamb didn't know anything about the Sorceress, there was a chance that people might know in different parts of the world. If I can explore this world, maybe I can find a way out of here.

There was a jab at my back. Maybe the Sorceress wasn't able to take over my body, and accidentally switched me with Izzy. That would mean she's not out wreaking trouble in my world.

Jab. I hope so. If she's not in my world, then there's a chance I can find her here.

Another jab. "Argh, what?" I furiously turned around to see Nida, who put his hands up and stepped back.

"Everyone's leaving," he said defensively.

Sure enough, the students had left their seats and were walking towards the door. I felt my face flush and shot Nida an apologetic look. "Sorry, I didn't realize."

We followed the throng out into the hallway and started walking towards the elevator.

"I never thought I would be going to the inauguration party as a SeeD."

There's a party? I really should have been paying attention.

I chuckled nervously. "Yeah, me neither."

Nida's jaw dropped. "What? You were entirely confident that you would pass!" He shook his head. "You don't have to lie for my sake."

Lovely. "Well… I was confident at first, but it's different when you're out on the field…" it wasn't a total lie; I had seen enough action movies to know that fighting seemed easier than it was.

He looked at me sceptically.

"Besides, you're a great fighter." I said sincerely.

He chuckled dryly, "They wouldn't let me pass if I wasn't. It's just..." he paused, a far-off expression in his eyes. He shook his head lightly. "Never mind."

"Well, the important thing is that you passed!" I patted his shoulder.

That seemed to cheer him up, and he was grinning by the time we reached the bottom floor. We stepped out of the elevator to find the hallway emptying. A few stray students were rushing out of the lobby and milling into the adjacent hallways. I saw Squall disappear around the hallway where we had run into Seifer. We walked down the steps and turned into the same hallway. I couldn't help but admire the fountains as we passed. Above, the sky was inky blue, littered with starts, clearly visible through the glass ceiling. From my angle, I could see the golden halo that glinted marvellously in the night sky. We passed two more hallways until we reached the one that had a sign in front of it saying, "Dormitory." We walked down the hallway in silence, the only sound being our footsteps on the marble floor and crickets chirping in the distance. Soon we reached a fork in the hallway.

"Hey, um, I wanted to ask you something," Nida said, shuffling his feet and not meeting my eyes.

Crap. I gulped. "What's up?"

"Can I..." He released a breath as he trailed off.

I stared at him, confused as to why he was so nervous.

"Can I pick you up for the ball?"

"What? Yeah!" I grinned, relieved, because I'd been expecting something like 'Why are you acting different?'

Nida smiled, his eyes sparkling. "Great! Well, see you!" Nida waved as he turned around and disappeared down the left fork.

I stood staring after him, not sure where I was supposed to go. Just then, I noticed a sign on the wall that said "Girl's dormitory" in glaring red letters with an arrow pointing to the right. Of course. Blushing, I turned into the right hallway. The floor had a royal red and blue rug with abstract patterns on it. Pot lights shone down on me as I walked, illuminating the peachy tone of the walls. My apartment back home sucks compared to this. I thought of the generic white walls and the colourless rug in the hallway of my apartment building. I passed closed wooden doors, some of which had signs on them with names of the students they belonged to. Oh man, I actually miss school… Sure I moaned and complained about school, but it was like home to me. I actually missed my roommate, Rachael, who regardless of being loud, was a fun person to live with. My heart sank. How long till I can go home?

I heard Siren sigh in my head, but she didn't say anything. Neither did I, as I was afraid that I might end up yelling at her again. She still had not offered an explanation as to why she had stopped me from revealing my identity.

"Izzy!"

I looked ahead to see Selphie waving. She was standing in front of an open dorm room door. I smiled as I walked towards her and opened my mouth to say hello but she cut me off. "What do you think?" She gestured to her uniform and twirled to show it off. It looked similar to the previous uniform, except it was black with a pleated, knee-length skirt. There was a large red silk tie adorning the cropped black and golden jacket.

"Looks great!" I grinned.

"Hee!" she smiled. "Aren't you going to change into your SeeD uniform?"

I nodded. If only I knew where my room is supposed to be.

"I put it on your bed, hope you don't mind!" She ushered me through the open door. Well that was convenient.

I turned to her. "Thanks!"

She smiled in response. "I'm gonna go get Squall. See you at the party!" She waved and ran off down the hall, her short, flipped hair bouncing.

I walked back into the room and looked around appreciatively. It was a long rectangular sitting room with a round wooden table in the middle. To the left were a small sink and a mini-fridge, which served as a kitchen area. Two doorways led off into identical bedrooms. Now which one is mine? I walked into the first bedroom and was instantly hit by the strong fragrance of lilacs. There was a single bed, on which lay the SeeD uniform. I sat down on the bed and ran my hands through the fabric. It felt like cotton and a softer material that I couldn't identify. This is what Izzy should be doing right now. I wondered where she was, if she was even alive. Was she really in my body, living my life back on earth? Is she feeling the same as I am? I sighed. I should do my best to keep her life normal. I hoped she would do the same if she were in my place.

'You should get ready,' Siren said softly.

"Yeah," I answered absently. I got up and looked around the room. There was a bedside table, on which was a vase filled with lilacs. The walls were decorated with posters of people in combat, most of them brandishing a circular weapon with a blade around it. That must be a pinwheel. A door stood ajar opposite the bed, and I could see that it was a bathroom. I made my way over to it.

'It'll probably be better if you unequip me, you don't need my power at the party.'

I started. 'How do I do that?'

'Just ask, and concentrate on me leaving your mind.'

'That's it? Okay… can you please leave my mind?' I closed my eyes and pictured my mind being blank. My fingers started to tingle, and I felt Siren's spirit leaving my body.

'Until next time,' she said, her voice growing faint.

I cupped my hands and Siren's golden stone appeared in my palms, which I put carefully on the table. I felt empty somehow, but it was kind of nice not having another voice in my head. Shrugging, I grabbed a towel from the closet and stepped into the bathroom to take a much-needed shower. I peeled off the dirty clothes and threw them in a hamper by the door. The warm water was soothing, and I cleared my mind. Ten minutes later, I stepped out refreshed. I stared in the mirror at the face that was not mine. There was only a second of surprise before I grabbed a comb and started detangling the long blond hair. She's completely different from me. Her face was heart-shaped, with pouty lips and round cerulean eyes. I wondered if Izzy had been surprised to find a shorter, darker girl with a different face when she looked in a mirror. It's strange; you take for granted how familiar the simple act of looking in the mirror is. Just seeing someone else's face was so abject and strange. I shook my head. No use thinking about this stuff. I would have to accept that I was borrowing Izzy's body for the time being, and there was nothing I could do about it.

Twenty minutes later, I stood in front of the full-length mirror in Izzy's bedroom, tying the silk tie over my coat. There was a soft knocking on the door. I opened it to see Nida, smiling in a strained way. He was wearing his SeeD uniform, which instead of a silk tie had a chain running across the chest. His hair was slicked back, and looked darker and neater than usual.

"You look nice," I grinned.

"Thanks, you too." He scratched the back of his head. "Ready to go?"

I nodded, and we made our way out of the dormitories. Nida talked excitedly about his family. "Wait till I tell my sister!" he said, smiling. I listened quietly, nodding at appropriate moments. By the time we arrived at the party, he was buzzing with excitement. I couldn't help but share in the excitement. Just try to have fun.

The ballroom was grand, with marble floors and stone pillars leading up to a high, glass ceiling, beyond which the night sky was visible. Classical music blared around us, drowned out slightly by the sounds of laughing and chattering students. On the left of the entrance was an arched doorway that led out to a balcony. Over the doorway hung a banner with the words, "Congratulations, Balamb Garden's newest SeeDs!" decorated with balloons and streamers. There was a circular dance floor in the middle of the room, which was enveloped in two sets of staircases leading up onto the second floor. Couples waltzed and I noticed a few of them wearing SeeD uniforms. Some students hung over the second floor balconies, chatting or watching the party. Tables of snacks and champagne were littered around the walls, with students standing around eating and talking. I noticed Zell standing by the table closest to us, looking quite snappy in his SeeD uniform. He was enthusiastically piling his plate with food. My stomach rumbled. I turned to Nida, who was watching me with amusement. I shrugged and grabbed his arm.

"Let's go get some food," I dragged him over to the refreshment table, ignoring his protest.

Holy hell! There were sandwiches and wraps of different sizes displayed on golden platters. A small crystal fountain stood as the centrepiece, with sparkling champagne flowing down into a wide crystal bowl. There were vegetable platters with differently coloured dips, and platters of sushi and caviar. And the smell! I felt my mouth watering, and grabbed a fancy ceramic plate and started loading it with anything I could get my hands on.

"Stocking up?"

I looked up to see Zell watching me with a smirk on his face.

He's one to talk. His plate was practically spilling over with food.

"I could say the same for you," I replied, feeling laughter bubbling up. I bit into a sandwich that tasted like tuna. Hmm… I gulped it down and took another bite. Sweet, dependable food.

Zell looked at his plate and chuckled. "Man, I never get hotdogs at the cafeteria!"

"So seize the moment, I say! Let there be hotdogs for all!" I said in a mock British accent, holding my arm out dramatically.

Zell gave me a weird look and then burst out laughing, drawing the attention of Nida.

He stared at us blankly, and then turned his head towards the balcony. I followed his gaze to see a pretty girl in a shimmery red dress. She immediately turned her face away and sipped on a glass of champagne. I looked from her to Nida, a smile forming on my lips.

I nudged him in the elbow and he turned towards me, startled. "What?"

I smiled innocently. "I think someone's trying to get your attention."

He raised an eyebrow, his cheeks turning pink. "What are you talking about?"

I stifled a giggle and looked towards the girl. She kept sending subtle gazes Nida's way, trying to catch his attention. "I think she wants you to talk to her."

He followed my gaze and looked back immediately. His face was red, and he looked down at his shoes. "You want me to go talk to her?"

"Come on!" I urged, "You're a SeeD! Tell her about how you passed the exam." I turned to Zell expectantly and nudged my head towards Nida.

Zell looked at the two of us with confusion. "Oh! Yeah, totally! Before someone else does!"

I smiled at him appreciatively before turning back to Nida. "He's right!" I shoved him away from the table.

He turned to me, looking confused for some reason, "You want me to talk to her?" he asked incredulously.

Startled, I nodded. "Well, if you want to..." a smile found it's way on my lips. "She's pretty, and won't stop looking at you. Bow chika bow wow and all that..."

He gave me a concerned look for a few seconds, but then shrugged, and depositing his drink back on the table, stepped away. "If you want me to, Izzy..." He flashed me that same confused look behind his back before timidly walking towards the girl. She watched him approach from the corner of her eye. Nida introduced himself. He must have asked her to dance because she smiled and nodded, and the next moment, she took his arm as he led her towards the dance floor. Nida looked over his shoulder, a small smile building on his lips. I gave him a thumbs-up.

"Ahh, young love," said Zell with a smirk on his face.

I nodded and watched couples waltzing smoothly across the dance floor. I felt a little proud. This was the first time since I had been in this world that I truly felt like myself. I guess this place is starting to grow on me.

I turned back to Zell, but suddenly felt my neck prickle and looked across the room. My gaze collided with a pair of dark blue eyes that looked away instantly. I furrowed my brows. It had lasted a second, but I had caught that same unidentifiable expression on Squall's face from earlier before he looked away. What's his problem?

"Why doesn't he talk to anyone?" I asked Zell.

"Hmm?" His mouth was filled with a hotdog, which he had shoved whole. He gulped it down with a huge sip of champagne.

I pointed at Squall.

Zell shrugged. "Squall just likes keeping to himself." He drowned his champagne and put the empty glass on the table. "Let's go congratulate him," he shouted, and started walking to the other end of the room, squeezing his way though a congregation of students.

I followed him, muttering apologies to the people he unconsciously shoved aside. I guess he can't help it.

I arrived at the other side of the room, a little annoyed that we couldn't have walked around the crowd.

"What took you so long?" Zell asked.

There was a huge crowd, in case you didn't notice. I opened my mouth to answer.

"Tch! Whatever. There's Squall." He turned and pointed to Squall, who stood leaning alone against a pillar, sipping a glass of champagne and a looking around with a rather bored expression. "Yo!" Zell shouted in order to get Squall's attention.

Squall's eyes travelled over to us as we approached him, and I gave a small wave.

"S'up, Squall?" Zell greeted enthusiastically.

Squall nodded, and then looked away, taking another sip out of his glass.

Zell was undeterred by Squall's aloofness. He chuckled and put a hand on his hip. "Guess we're SeeDs now, huh?"

Squall didn't respond, but just stared at Zell blankly.

Zell wiped his hand on his pants before extending it for Squall to shake. "Put it there, man!" He grinned.

Squall just sipped his champagne and looked away towards the dance floor.

Talk about rude.

Zell's smile faltered, and his shoulders sunk. "Heh, even as a SeeD, you're still the same." He shook his head and sighed. "Well, that's typical of you," Zell continued, standing up straighter. "See ya." He gave a mock salute and turned to me. "Let's let Squall enjoy the party," he whispered, and walked off toward the other side of the room.

I walked over to the pillar and leaned next to Squall, who, it seemed, was trying hard to ignore me. "You could have at least shaken his hand."

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Whatever," he muttered.

I furrowed my brows. "You're not the most social person, are you?"

He stared at me, "You're one to talk." That expression again.

"Excuse me?" I sputtered as I gaped at him.

He narrowed his eyes. "Well, before the SeeD exam, I always had you pegged as the silent type. Now you're walking around like a completely different person." His gaze pierced through me, and I felt sweat prickling on my forehead. Does he know something?

"Why do you care?" I blurted.

He shrugged. "I don't. Just something I observed." He looked over at the dance floor and sipped his champagne. I waited for him to say something else, but he remained quiet and went back to ignoring my presence.

I looked over at the dance floor. Nida was still dancing with the girl in red, who was talking animatedly. If Squall noticed something, I'm sure other people did. Then I remembered Nida had said the same thing. "You're like a different person."I was convinced that it wouldn't be long until someone figured out I wasn't Izzy. Sure I looked like her, but a someone's personality shows through their behaviour, not their appearance, and I didn't even know what kind of person Izzy was. I would have to tell someone about the woman in the forest, and how she had sent me here. The only person I could think of telling at this point was Nida. I looked over at him. He was now making his way off the dance floor, and over to the refreshment table, his face flushed.

I made my way over to him, being careful to avoid walking through the crowd. I reached the refreshment table to find Nida holding two glasses under the champagne fountain. He looked up when he saw me approach and smiled widely. His face was flushed deeply and his hair was ruffled.

Momentarily forgetting my seriousness, I asked, "having fun?"

He nodded, his expression becoming serious. "Yeah…but what about you?"

I laughed. "What about me?"

He furrowed his brows, honey-brown eyes masked in confusion.

I shook my head. "Never mind. I actually need to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

I felt sweat beading my forehead and looked towards the dance floor, where Nida's dance partner was watching with an annoyed expression on her face. I turned back to Nida.

"Er...I'll tell you after the party," I lowered my voice to a whisper, "your dance partner is glaring daggers at me."

He glanced at her for a second before turning back, and opened his mouth to say something.

I waved my hand dismissively. "Look, just have fun!" I chuckled half-heartedly. "I'll tell you later." I pushed him towards the dance floor, being careful that he didn't spill his drinks. He cast me a worried look behind his back before shrugging and joining the blond girl.

I stared after him blankly and gulped. How am I supposed to do this? I watched as he handed the girl her champagne, and together they walked off the dance floor towards the balcony. Nida looked back at me, but I waved nonchalantly and watched as they disappeared into the night. How will he react once I tell him? My heart was hammering, I hated giving bad news. I knew I would be angry if my best friend was taken over by someone else. Trevor…

My stomach curled at the thought that something had happened to him. I hoped he'd somehow found a way to get away from the sorceress. What about my parents? Were they aware that their daughter was not with them? If our bodies had been switched, did Izzy even manage to find her way to my house? Or at least to a police station? I shook my head. Asking unanswerable questions will only make me sadder.

I diverted my attention to the party and looked around to see whom I would recognize. A red-haired boy wearing a suit waved as he passed by. I waved back half-heartedly. The music was now upbeat and pumped throughout the room, drowning out all else. Across the dance floor, I could see Seifer with his arm wrapped around a girl's waist. They stood talking to the silver-haired girl and burly dark-skinned boy from earlier. I took another sip of champagne and looked away from them. Squall was still standing at the same spot by the entrance, looking up at the sky. I never thought he would notice. He seems uninterested by other people. I shook my head and looked towards the dance floor. Zell was dancing with a brunette, who tried to mimic his pumping moves. I sighed. Who would have thought that I would be bored at a party? I was usually the girl in the middle of the dance floor, pulling out silly moves for the amusement of her friends.

I wonder what Izzy's like. Squall had mentioned that she was quiet, but that wasn't much to go on. Then something occurred to me. Her room! Why hadn't I thought of searching her room earlier? I was sure I could find tonnes of things in her room that would show something about her personality. Depositing my champagne glass on the table, I made my around the crowd of students and towards the entrance, being careful to avoid Squall's line of vision. Not that he'll acknowledge my presence. I rolled my eyes. Who cared if Squall noticed I was different? Pretty soon, I would come clean anyway. So why do I feel sick to my stomach?

I slipped inconspicuously past Squall and out into the hallway leading out to the second floor of the Garden. I cast a quick glance behind me to see if someone had noticed me leave the party.

"Frick!" For the second time on the same day, I lost my balance and my butt slammed into the ground. Ow... I looked up to see Instructor Alaric, his face contorted as if he was trying hard not to laugh. I felt my face heat up as I pushed myself off the ground. Without a word, I tried to slip past him, but he held out his arm to stop me.

"Leaving your own party?" he drawled.

I turned to look at him, feeling my face burn. He was wearing a deep plum tuxedo, with long coattails. His long brown hair was tied back, with a few strands framing his face. All he needs is a top hat to look exactly like a circus ringleader. I scratched the back of my head. "I was just going to take a walk."

He tilted his head to the side and gave me a look that I couldn't decipher. "Can I join you?"

I gaped. That was unexpected. His eyes were a mask of hesitation and… Is that guilt?

I really wanted to search Izzy's room, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him no. I nodded slowly, "sure."

His face lit up. "Great! I really wanted to talk to you, Izzy."

What have I gotten myself into? "Actually, I uh…"

He put a hand on my back and led me down the hallway. "Great! Let's go before someone sees us leave."

We walked to down the hallway in silence. I looked straight ahead, unsure of whether I was supposed to know him. We soon reached the end, which turned right into the bridge leading to the elevator.

Alaric put a hand on my shoulder. "Izzy," he said, voice barely above a whisper.

I furrowed my brows in confusion and turned to face him.

He shook his head and sighed, crossing his arms. "Well, first of all, I wanted to congratulate you on passing your SeeD exam…" he trailed off. He reached a hand to his eyes and rubbed them with his thumb.

"Thanks…" it came out sounding like a question.

He suddenly grabbed my shoulders and looked into my eyes. "I heard what happened! You were almost killed out on the battlefield!"

I gaped at him and tried to step back, but his grip was strong. "Um… well, I…"

He loosened his grip on my shoulders, but didn't let go. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, Izzy. When I heard… it's like something inside me just snapped." He shook his head violently, "It made me realize how important you are." He whispered.

"I, I don't know what to say." I gently brushed his hands off my shoulders. I chuckled nervously, not meeting his eyes. "This is the absolute worst time for you to tell me this."

His eyes darkened as his face fell. "I see…"

"Um... yeah," I bit my lower lip and sighed. "I'm not myself right now." That was sugarcoating it.

He gave me a calculating look. "What…?"

I shook my head. "I think you should tell me later on, when it'll be," I paused, thinking of the right words, "better received."

"Oh, I get it," he scoffed, his face becoming angry. "It's about Nida, isn't it? I've noticed you two spending a lot of time together."

"What?" I laughed. "Nida and I are just…" Wait a minute, how do I know what Izzy and Nida are? I stared at Alaric's expectant expression. The sooner I find out more about her, the better. "Gotta go."

Before he could say anything, I turned around the corner and ran down the bridge towards the elevator. A few seconds later, the elevator dinged open and I stepped inside. I sighed in relief to see that Alaric hadn't followed me. I punched in the button for floor one in frustration. Am I going to have to run away from every situation? I couldn't possibly ask someone about what Izzy's life was like. If that didn't give my identity away, it would sure as hell land me a one-way ticket to a mental institution. Or they might think I'm a sorceress possessing her. My mind drifted back to the Sorceress in the forest. Had she intended to send me here? The image of her fingers pressing against my temples… had she been trying to possess me?

My head buzzed with questions as I walked towards Izzy's dorm. Sure I was taking this experience as it came, but how long would it be before I couldn't take it anymore? How long before I snapped and alienated everyone because I couldn't keep up this façade? My hands shook as I opened the door to Izzy's room, stepped inside, and quietly shut it behind me. Only one thing was for certain, and that my overwhelming desire to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note about Alaric: He is a very minor character. However, he isn't useless as he will reveal a lot about Izzy.
> 
> A little info about future chapters: They will be more lighthearted, there will be more interaction with the main characters, and Natasha will get over her shock. Stick around, dear readers!


	6. A girl named Izzy

Now where do I start? I scrutinized the room with hands on my hips. The walls were painted salmon pink, and the combat posters jumped out. A lace curtain was drawn over the window, hovering over the double bed, which was covered in matching pink and white lace sheets. What's with this girl and pink? The room was rather boxy, with a door on my right leading into the shared bathroom. There was a sliding door on the opposite side, also serving as a full-size mirror.

I stepped over to it and slid it open to reveal a closet bursting with brightly coloured clothes. Reaching inside, I pulled out random articles, examining them for a few seconds before hanging them back. It's nothing unordinary for a teenage girl. There was a rack on top, neatly stacked with skirts and shorts. On the floor were littered a few pairs of shoes, mostly ankle boots in different colours. There was a cardboard box with a picture of a pinwheel on it, but it was empty. I sighed and closed the closet.

Next, I turned my attention to the cherry wood study table, which was neatly stacked with various textbooks of different sizes. These might be useful.

I grabbed one named A Brief History of Balamb Garden and opened it to a random page.

"Year 15 PSW, Balamb Garden installed new study panels in order to serve individualized functions for students planning on taking the SeeD exams. Students were able to access their GFs and train according to their level of proficiency."

Study panel? I better check that out later. I skipped a few pages ahead.

"…Balamb Garden remains the only Garden through which students may become fully fledged SeeDs. Transfer students increase…"

Bored, I shut the book and slipped it back in between All about Guardian Forces and General Combat Skills. I was about to turn away when a bright red volume caught my eye: The Sorceress War. I pulled it out and forcefully cracked it open. The pages were fraying at the edges, as if the book had been opened one too many times. I scanned through the table of contents, stopping at 'Adel's rise to power,' and flipped the book to chapter two.

"Sorceress Adel rose to power in the central city of Esthar. Her reign ended with the beginning of the PSW era. During the years of her hold on Esthar…"

I flipped the page to reveal a full-size picture of Adel. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. That's supposed to be a woman? She looked like she had consumed one to many protein shakes laced with steroids. Her arms were tanned and muscular, with dark brown markings on them that reached her chest and looped over her androgynous face, which was surrounded by flyaway scarlet hair. She sneered at the camera, her obsidian eyes glinting maliciously. Well, at least now I know not everyone in this world is gorgeous.

I flipped back to the table of contents, scanning it for something that might prove helpful. The entire book was about Adel's rise and fall from power, and she obviously was not the same sorceress from the forest. I closed the book and moved on to the desk drawers. There were only two small drawers that were full of basic stationary: pens, tape, a stapler and some notebooks. I flipped through the notebooks, but found nothing interesting in them except for doodles.

I moved towards the bedside table, the lilacs still fresh and fragrant, and propped open the top drawer. There were a variety of knick-knacks, some that looked like they could have been gifts from people Izzy knew. On top of the pile was a small pink envelope that looked like it had been torn open. Curiosity got the better of me and I reached inside to grasp the envelope. It was soft and tissue-like, and I carefully unwrapped it to reveal a glittery greeting card. There was a picture of two kittens playing in a field of grass, with the words "When words are not enough…" in hot pink italic letters. This is so sappy. I couldn't help but smirk as I opened the card. Inside, the long message someone had written was crossed out with the word LIAR in permanent marker. Someone really must have pissed her off. I squinted my eyes to try and make out the name. Alaric? I dumped the card back into its envelope and shoved it back inside the drawer. It felt intrusive to read it.

Next, I opened the bottom, slightly bigger drawer. There were a few hand towels and socks strewn about, but nothing unordinary. I looked closer. The drawer looked smaller than it should have been. I fumbled around the bottom of the drawer, and the nail of my thumb caught on the edge. Using my other hand, I grabbed the edge and pulled to reveal a hidden compartment beneath the drawer. There was a small leather bound notebook, which I grabbed and pulled out before the piece of wood snapped back into place. Why hide your diary this extensively? Was there something Izzy was hiding? Or was she just paranoid about her privacy being invaded?

Only a second of hesitation passed before I cracked open the black cover and peeked at the front page. Staring up at me was a self-portrait of Izzy sketched in pencil. She's talented. I flipped the page.

"May 14th:

Everyone is nervous about the fire cavern test, but I don't think it'll be that hard. What do they think we've been training for all this time? Nida took the test this morning and passed. I told him I knew he would, but he was surprised all the same. I can't wait to go tomorrow. I'm dying to get Ifrit as a GF! Plus Alaric will be with me. He better not go easy on me just because I'm his girlfriend."

What? I scrutinized the word "girlfriend". That would explain his behaviour. I flipped to the next entry.

"May 19th: I passed the Fire Cavern! Ifrit is amazing! He's strong, and just having him junctioned makes me feel like I can take on the world. Having his voice in my head is really cool. Alaric was helpful, but I did most of the work. Gotta go celebrate!"

The entry bluntly ended. I flipped a few entries. The words here were uneven, as if Izzy had dug the pen too hard into the paper.

"May 23rd: How could he do this to me a week before the SeeD exam? He ignored me all day in class, even though I raised my hands more than a few times. Then, after class when I tried to approach him, he left before I could say anything! He dumps me, and I'm the one who gets ignored. Wasn't he a teacher before he asked me to be his girlfriend? I should have known from the beginning… he said keeping it a secret would be 'romantic.' I could ruin his career…"

I couldn't read anymore. No wonder Alaric was acting like that. I flipped to the last entry in the book.

"May 31st: The SeeD exam is tomorrow, and a lot of us train together. Zell's always there whenever me and Nida go to train. Watching Nida train is so motivating. He's so focused, and it makes me think that I should just forget everything else when I'm training too. I told him that he motivates me today while we were training, and he blushed horribly. I don't get it, we've been friends forever, and he still gets embarrassed over a compliment."

I smirked. Finally, something I agree with. I continued reading.

"He noticed that I seemed down…I'm so confused. Should I tell Nida about Alaric? He might take it the wrong way though… how can I explain that I only wanted to move forward, that I am convinced Nida would never see me as more than a friend?"

Geez, I thought I had issues… Izzy was a well of emotions when it came to her personal life. I shook my head. Maybe I shouldn't judge her so harshly. I guessed the reason she kept her journal so securely hidden was because she only wrote in it when she was highly emotional. I flipped a few more pages, but the rest of the journal was blank. I sighed and pocketed it. Perhaps I could write in it so that when Izzy came back, she would know what to expect. I spotted Siren's stone, which was slightly glowing. What would she say about my decision to tell Nida? That was something I could deal with later. There's no backing out now.

I stood up and took one last look around the room. So what do I know so far? Izzy seemed girly, from her room to the contents of her closet. She had dated a teacher, who might still have feelings for her. She's in love with her best friend… Nida! I had forgotten all about the party! The clock on the wall showed 23:37. I had no idea when the party ended, but it was better not to take a chance. I abruptly got up and took a quick look into the mirror to fix Izzy's disheveled hair before zooming out of the door. I stepped out into the hallway, which thankfully was still empty and jogged down the hallway, around the moat, and into the elevator.

The party was near its end as I walked back into the ballroom five minutes later, slightly out of breath and sweating. A sigh of relief passed through my lips as I noticed that most of the people in SeeD uniforms were still present.

A woman wearing a striped blue dress shirt walked by, holding a tray. "Champagne?" she offered.

I grabbed the glass from her hand and smiled. "Thanks!"

She nodded and walked away.

Looking around nonchalantly, I sipped my champagne, as if I had never left the party at all. The crowds were thinning, and only a few couples remained on the dance floor. I looked up at the glass ceiling. The sky was sable dusted with sparkling stars. I smiled as I watched a shooting star streak by. At least one thing here was synonymous with Earth: the simple beauty of the night sky. Serene Violin music drifted around the room, and combined with pale yellow lighting, created a romantic atmosphere. I felt myself relaxing while I let the champagne bubble down my throat.

I watched the waltzing couples with slight amusement. They're so proper. Squall was dancing with a pretty black haired girl in a cream-coloured dress. Well, trying to anyway. He kept tripping over his own feet while the girl tried to lead the dance. She looked oddly familiar. Isn't she the girl who was with Seifer earlier? Squall attempted to lead the dance, and bumped straight into Nida. I didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for Squall. My gaze fell over Nida, who I noticed was still dancing with the blonde in red. They were both smiling and I felt stomach sink. If Izzy's in love with him, she's going to be pissed that I pushed him on some other girl. I sighed. Was I dense or what? Nida had acted nervous around who he thought was Izzy; he'd definitely been hesitant to ask her to the dance. They probably had a thing going on, and here I was making him spend the entire dance with some other girl.

My stomach curling, I shook the thoughts away. It's not like I knew what was happening.

On the other side of the room, in front of the balcony entrance, Zell sat on one of the round tables by himself with a plate of food in front of him. Man, how much does the guy eat?

I made my way around the dance floor. The ballroom was slowly emptying now, with most people either dancing or hanging over the second floor balconies. I waved at Zell when I was close enough to his table.

"Izzy!" he exclaimed jovially. His cheeks were pink and his usually spiked hair ruffled.

"Hey," was my unenthusiastic reply.

With a scrape, he pushed the chair next to him out. "Sit, sit!" He patted the chair, causing it to buckle slightly.

I sat down hesitantly. He was grinning widely with a too-happy glint in his eye. My eyes travelled over to the table, where four empty champagne glasses sat beside the untouched plate of food. "Drank a little too much?"

He waved his hand. "Pfft! Two glasses is nothing."

I raised my eyebrow. "And what do you call four?" I pointed to the two farther glasses.

"Uh… nothing times two?" He scratched his head.

I couldn't help but burst out in a fit of giggles. A wave of nostalgia passed over me. If university campus life had taught me anything, it was how to distinguish the drunks from the non-drunks. I watched Zell as he looked around the ballroom, grinning maniacally and bouncing in his seat. He looked like a child at a wedding who is forced to behave like an adult. Yup, definitely tipsy.

I watched him from the corner of my eye as I sipped my champagne. He abruptly stood up causing his chair to tumble to the ground. I nearly chocked on my drink. "What's wrong?" I sputtered.

He lowered his head and whispered, "Selphie's coming here," he pointed towards the balcony entrance.

I followed his finger to see Selphie scanning the ballroom with a rather determined look on her face. Haven't seen her all night.

"Hey, Selph-oomph!"

Zell put his hand on my mouth. "Shh! She'll see us!"

I pulled away forcefully. "What is the matter with you?" I waved at Selphie, and she spotted me. She smiled and started to make her way over to our table. With a raised eyebrow, I turned back to Zell. "Care to explain why we shouldn't talk to Selphie?"

Zell scratched the back of his head and grimaced. "You'll see. Don't say I didn't warn you."

I started to laugh, but stopped myself. Judging by the look on his face, he seemed genuinely concerned.

"Hey guys!" Selphie exclaimed as she approached the table. She looked exhausted, her hair ruffled and her eyes tired and heavy-lidded. She smiled weakly and opened her mouth to say something, but Zell cut her off.

"Selphie! How's it going?" He waved his hands. "I'd love to chat, but I gotta go do…something. Bye!" with that, he turned around and ran off onto the dance floor.

I watched him disappear within the dancers and scratched my head. "What's up with him?"

Selphie shrugged. "Hey, Izzy, I was wondering," she bit her bottom lip before continuing, "Do you want to join the Garden Festival Committee?"

I stared at her blankly. The what? "Um…"

"Please? You'll only have to help out whenever you have time." Her voice had a pleading tone to it and her eyes were wide and hopeful. It was quite endearing and I couldn't bring myself to look away.

"Sure," I answered, trying my best to sound enthusiastic.

Her face lit up and she clapped. "Great! This year's festival is going to be amazing! We'll work really hard and –"

"Wait, who's we?" I should at least get acquainted with people I have to work with.

She looked at me sheepishly. "Well… so far, it's just me, you, and Squall. I've been trying to recruit more people, but most of them make an excuse." Her face fell.

Uh oh, have I done something Izzy wouldn't want me to?

"But I'm so glad you joined! Can you ask Nida? He'll probably join since you did. Thanks Izzy!" She waved and went off in the same direction Zell had gone.

I stood around awkwardly, hoping for the party to end soon. A look towards the dance floor revealed that Nida was still dancing. My stomach rumbled as I thought about what I had to do. There's no turning back. I had always been the type of person to follow through with my decisions, no matter how hard or painful they might be. Sometimes I hate my stubbornness.

I looked up onto the second floor of the ballroom. Most of the balconies were emptying now, making the second floor look secluded. I placed the champagne glass on the table and made my way around the dance floor and up the right side staircase. There was a circular seating area just ahead of me, alit with a crystal chandelier hanging from the center of the domed ceiling. A group of students were draped over the plush suede couches. A black-haired girl waved and smiled and I waved back unenthusiastically before stepping on the set of steps leading up the opposite way. I climbed up to enter into a hallway of sorts, which had pathways leading away. Walking ahead, I reached an area that led off into a secluded balcony. From this angle, the dance floor was fully visible.

Along the walls crept vines of overgrown ferns. On the floor were dotted pots of white chrysanthemums that bathed the balcony in their woody smell and brought to mind images of late August afternoons. I leaned over the stone railing and watched the couples gliding across the dance floor. Violin music reverberated faintly up onto the second floor and I couldn't help but be reminded of home. My thoughts drifted to summer vacation after my brother Noah had finished his first year of college.

"We're going with or without you, Natasha," said Noah with finality in his voice.

I chewed my bottom lip. Noah had his mind made up, and nothing I could say would change his mind.

"Ok, we're leaving!" Noah revved our parent's blue Toyota Camry; his mischievous moss-green eyes alight with mayhem.

Without a second of hesitation, I grabbed the back door handle and shoved myself in the passenger seat and scooted towards the center. I crossed my arms glared into the rearview mirror.

Noah caught my angry expression and flashed me a lopsided smile. "Relax, sis. They'll never find out." He waved a hand in the air nonchalantly and floored the gas pedal.

Trevor turned around from his place in the front passenger seat and gave me an apologetic smile. "Don't worry, we'll be back before your parents get home, and no harm done."

Despite myself, I smiled back at him. Trevor was our neighbour and our families were old friends. According to my parents, a thirteen-month-old Trevor had managed to crawl into their doghouse and fallen asleep. My mother had brought the sleeping baby back to his hysterical parents and a new friendship had blossomed.

I watched him fiddle with the radio with a smirk on my face. I didn't know what amused me more: the thought of baby Trevor or the fact that he had managed to find a doghouse out of all places to make his bed.

Noah merged onto the highway, and I couldn't help but worry about getting caught by our parents. Sure, Noah was careful when he wanted to be, but out parents were strict, and stealing the car wasn't a way to inspire their happiness. I looked down at my nails and bit my lower lip.

"Cheer up, Natah!" called Noah, using the nickname he had come up with when he was three. "You love Wonderland!"

I felt anger ebbing away. I did love the theme park, and though I would never admit it out loud, I also loved Noah's spontaneous road trip ideas. I met his eyes in the rearview mirror. "Yeah, but when we get caught…"

He rolled his eyes. "IF we get caught, our story is that Trevor kidnapped us." He looked at Trevor in mock innocence and pouted, "We won't do anything bad."

I shook my head at the lame joke while Trevor and Noah guffawed. At the same time, I knew that Noah wouldn't hesitate to keep us out of trouble. I sighed and scooted back into the seat, feeling calmer and letting excitement overtake me.

An hour and a half later, we pulled into the parking lot, buzzing with excitement. Peals of laughter drifted out to us as we watched the looping tracks of various roller coasters.

"WON-DER-LAND!" Noah chanted as he shifted the car into park.

I opened the door stepped out. I turned to Noah as he got out of the car and put a hand on my hip. "You know, I admire your enthusiasm right now, because when we get caught…"

He just smirked and waved his hand dismissively. "Tsk! You worry too much." He put his hand around my shoulder and said in a baby voice, "I won't let anything happen to my baby sister." He ruffled my hair with his fist.

"Quit it!" I couldn't help but laugh as I pulled away.

Noah's expression turned serious. "You trust your big brother, don't you?"

"Yes," I grinned, "you're right, let's just have fun!" I pumped my fist in the air.

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed Trevor as he tapped my back and ran off towards the entrance. Noah and I followed, laughing and racing each other towards the gathering crowd.

I was suddenly jolted out of my reverie when my chin slammed on the stone handrail. Pain shot up the sides of my face and I groaned. How long have I been daydreaming? I looked around the balcony and startled upon seeing a figure standing not far from where I was.

"When did you get here?" I blurted before I could stop myself.

The figure turned his face towards me and I realized it was Squall. He looked at me blankly and answered, "I've been here a while."

I felt my face flush. "Oh, I didn't notice you come in."

He shrugged and turned his attention back to the party.

I watched him with narrowed eyes. This is the perfect chance to find out if he knows something. I opened my mouth to talk, but Squall beat me to it.

"Is there something you need?" he asked impatiently, his brows furrowed in annoyance.

I scowled at his rudeness. "Yes, actually." I lowered my voice, "What do you know about me?"

"What?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you noticed that I was acting differently, and if Izzy is the kind of person who keeps to herself, she wouldn't draw a lot of attention, would she?"

His face became a mask of confusion as he scrutinized me. "Why are you talking in third person?"

Damn. "Just answer the question. How do you, who seem to be generally uninterested in other people, notice that I'm acting differently?"

He scoffed and crossed his arms. "Just because I'm a private person doesn't mean I'm ignorant to those around me."

I watched him expectantly.

He rolled his eyes and continued, "That's exactly it. You weren't someone who stood out before, and now you're suddenly drawing attention to yourself." He scrunched his eyebrows. "That would seem suspicious to anyone."

I gaped at him, feeling sweat beading my forehead. "Well… maybe sometimes people have a reason to change," I said lamely.

"That's not my problem," he said before turning back towards the railing.

I watched him with knitted brows and bit my bottom lip, but he didn't say any more. Does that mean he doesn't care? I turned back towards the party, feeling a sense of relief overtake me. Sure Squall was observant, but he wasn't bothered enough to pry deeper. At least I know he hasn't said anything to anyone else. I leaned over the railing and stared blankly at a brunet running around the room. Why am I so scared? It wasn't being revealed that I feared, but the possibility of being alienated and deserted. Sure I liked solitude when the occasion called for it, but the thought of being completely alone was absolutely terrifying.

"Your friend was looking for you," drifted Squall's voice.

It took me a while to register his words. "Who?"

He pointed to the tables on the first floor. I looked down to see the brunet boy standing with his hands on his hips and his face scanning the crowds. It was Nida.

"Gee, thanks," I muttered and turned around. I trotted towards the stairs and nearly ran into someone. I gaped at her, momentarily stunned.

"Izzy!" Quistis exclaimed, taking a step back. She was wearing a peachy-coloured knee-length skirt with a matching sleeveless top. Her golden bangs framed her face and reached down past her shoulders. Her eyes were ice blue and I only now noticed that they had a natural squint to them. She looked beautiful.

I realized that I had been staring and shook my head. "Oh sorry," I said before I stepped around her and galloped down the stairs.

The party was ending and the few people that were left were heading towards the exits. The music had died down now, and students milled around the doors, whispering with flushed faces. I made my way over to the tables and spotted Nida standing alone, searching the room. I called his name and walked over to him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed once I was close enough. His honey-coloured eyes were sparkling and he was grinning ear to ear.

I smiled back and asked, "Did you have fun?"

He nodded enthusiastically and ran his fingers through his hair. A blush crept up his face. "You said you wanted to talk?" he asked, his expression becoming serious.

I nodded and rubbed the back of my head. "Yeah, can we go somewhere private?"

Nida furrowed his brows for a moment before nodding. "Let's go to the training center."

Training center? I shrugged as he led me quietly towards the exit of the ballroom. I absently looked around at the students and once again felt my stomach turn. I swallowed the lump in my throat and wished for the first time that Siren was with me. At least I wouldn't have to face a confrontation alone. I followed Nida without paying attention.

A burly arm came out of nowhere to obstruct my way. "Girls are not allowed in the boy's dormitory after curfew."

I looked up into the narrowed, beady eyes of a robed man and blinked a few times. I stepped back and looked around. Whoa. Did I completely zone out? We were standing in the hallway that led off into the different dormitories.

"Promiscuity will not be tolerated in Balamb Garden," the man's eyes glinted, and although I couldn't see the rest of his face, I was pretty sure he was frowning.

I felt my face grow hot. "That's not what-," I sputtered angrily.

The man looked down at me reproachfully, and I looked away from him to Nida, who looked like he wanted to laugh.

"Meet me in front of the training center. Make sure you're fully equipped," he said before waving and walking off down the hall.

I turned around and made my way silently down the girl's dorm. The hallway was crowded with whispering and giggling girls. Avoiding meeting anyone's eyes, I slipped quietly into Izzy's dorm and closed the door behind me. Heavy rock music drifted out from the closed door of Izzy's roommate, and through the crack I could see that her light was on.

I entered Izzy's room, shut the door, and looked around. I guess I should equip Siren. Without a second of hesitation I hurled myself at the bedside table and grabbed the GF stone. I rubbed it and it came alive in my palm. It started to emit a pale golden glow that soon grew blindingly bright. I closed my eyes and inhaled. Tiny bubbles were popping on my skin, and when I opened my eyes, I welcomed the heightened sense of sight brought on by the power of Siren.

'Hello again.'

'Hey Siren,' I grinned.

'To the training center, shall we?' It sounded like she was smiling.

I nodded and exited the room.

Five minutes later, I stood in front of the training center hallway, waiting impatiently for Nida to show up. Crickets chirped in the distance, and the air was pungent with the smell of chrysanthemums. I absently watched the water flowing out of the fish-shaped fountain in front of me. I followed the water as it pooled down into the moat. Different shaped coins wavered in the rippling water, seeming like tiny fish swimming around.

I ripped my gaze away from the water and looked down the hallway. Where is he? The only people were the Garden faculty members that stood blocking the other hallways. It was discomforting to say the least.

Finally, a blur of black announced Nida's arrival. He walked towards me, and I noticed he had changed into jeans and a black t-shirt. On his hips was a holster loaded with two pistols.

"Why didn't you change?" he asked, as he got closer.

I shrugged. Didn't know I had to.

We walked inside the training center, which was closed off with giant metal gates. Nida pressed a button to open them and we stepped inside.

Whoa! It felt as if we had been thrust into a forest. Leafy trees surrounded the place, which was divided into three chambers. On the left and right were metal doors, seeming out of place in the natural setting. It smelled like dew and I looked up to see that the training center opened up to the skies.

"So are you gonna tell me where you ran off to during the party?" Nida asked as we made our way through the right side door.

I glanced at him before quickly looking down. "You noticed, huh?"

I felt him reach his hand towards my face and slightly stepped back. He brushed my hair away from my hands and I realized I had been pulling it. "Yes," he answered, "and I suppose you're also about to tell me the reason you've been acting strange lately."

I swallowed and looked up at him. His eyes were shadowed with concern and another emotion I couldn't read. He watched me intently, as if he was trying to gauge my emotions. I looked away instantly.

"Well, I guess I should tell you from the beginning," I paused and looked back up at him. "Please try not to say anything until I'm done."

He furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips in confusion. Then he slowly nodded before whispering, "Okay."

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth to talk, but before I got a chance to say anything, the bush behind Nida rustled. Out popped four green tentacles, followed by the plant-like body they were attached to. It approached us menacingly; it's bulbous lime-green body swaying on six rail-thin legs. I yelped and pulled Nida away from the creature, causing his foot to slam onto mine.

"Sorry!" he yelled as he caught sight of my pained expression.

I shook my head and focused my attention on the creature, which kept waving its leaf-green tentacles in the air. I stared at its face, which looked so much like an insect had bred with a plant to produce a sordid new species.

"Fira!" yelled Nida beside me, and a ball of fire popped into existence in his outstretched hands. I watched, entranced, as in a blur the fireball flew from Nida's hands and slammed into the plant creature. It squealed as it burned to the ground. I covered my nose with my sleeve as the smell of burning flesh entered my nostrils.

A second later, Nida grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the carcass. "Let's go to the 'secret area.' There won't be any monsters there."

I couldn't get the creature out of my mind. "Was that a moving plant?" I asked stupidly.

He turned around abruptly. "Are you serious?" He narrowed his eyes and scrutinized me.

I scratched the back of my head, "Yes..."

He looked at me with suspicion clouding his eyes. "Why-"

I waved a hand in the air dismissively. "We should get going before more monsters show up!"

He nodded and continued down the trail. We walked in silence and I purposefully avoided looking at him, instead choosing to look everywhere else. Water trickled down a small, rocky waterfall, down into a river that ran through the path. It wound within overhanging leaves and disappeared within the bushes. We crossed a bridge, which led off into a clearing surrounded by trees.

My stomach sank. If it weren't for the sorceress, I wouldn't be in this situation. Why was she after me? She had known my name. Had she intended to send me here? If so, why me? I don't even know who she is!

"We're almost there," stated Nida behind his back. He didn't turn around. I stared at him, feeling my stomach rumble. Why is it so hard to tell people the truth?

Suddenly, the ground reverberated with a thump. I stopped dead in my tracks.

Thump thump! I grabbed Nida's shoulder and he turned around, his face a mask of confusion.

"Did you hear that?" I whispered.

He nodded and put a finger on his lips. With his other hand he motioned for me to follow him.

A bloodcurdling roar filled the air, making some of the trees around us shake. Thump thump thump. Something was definitely coming closer. I looked behind me, but there was nothing.

I turned around and nearly ran into Nida, who stood rigid and gaping at a sight in front of him. I followed his gaze and my breath caught in my throat. Facing us was a twenty foot Tyrannosaurus Rex. You've got to be kidding me. It opened its mouth into another roar, razor sharp teeth on full display. Strands of spittle hung off in strings, vibrating with the sound.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," I squeaked, as the monster started to thump closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger! I promise the next chapter will be up very, very soon. Please leave all comments, questions, complaints in the form of a review :) Thanks for reading!


	7. Battles and confrontations

I was frozen. It couldn't be possible. Closing my eyes tightly, I tried to erase the image of the dinosaur that really had no purpose existing in this day and age.

'Natasha!'

No luck. Closing my eyes didn't erase the roar and ground-shaking footsteps as the T-Rex thudded towards us, nor did it block the distinct sweaty smell of fear I was sure was emanating from me.

"Get behind me!" Nida screamed, and when I didn't make a movement, he grasped my arm and pushed me aside. He had two pistols held out, waiting for the monster to come close enough.

The beast was a few feet away now. Bang bang! Nida shot: once, twice, to no avail. The T-Rex roared as the bullets his its thick skin, undeterred, but now massively annoyed by two moronic students that dared try and harm it.

"Where's your pinwheel?" yelled Nida, pulling me to the ground as the T-Rex tried to swipe at him.

"I-I lost it d-during the exam!"

He paused reloading his gun to send me a shocked frown before standing up and facing the now roaring monster. He shot twice at its scarlet, leathery face, causing blood to spurt out in thick drops. It roared again, recoiling in pain.

Breathing hard, Nida crouched down to my level. "I'm gonna try and put it to sleep, and then we're gonna make a run for it!" exclaimed Nida as he pointed behind the T-Rex to an opening in the wall.

Of course that's where we have to go. He got back up, closed his eyes and held his hands to his temples to get the spell ready. I nodded vigorously and moved beside him, not knowing whether to run or stay put. The urge to run was paramount, but leaving Nida to fight alone was not an option.

'Get ready to run,'Siren coaxed.

I rolled my eyes. And here I thought I would stand and entertain it, Siren.

Siren's answer was drowned out as the next second the T-Rex made a swipe for me. I dodged it and dived to the ground a good distance away, leaving Nida to take the blow. His spell missed the T-Rex and went flying off into the trees. Nida landed on his back, his face contorted in pain, as the beast hovered over him.

Without thinking, I scrambled back on my feet and ran towards them. "Hey!" I screamed, and the T-Rex glanced at me for a second before turning back on Nida. I looked at Nida, who was trying to stand up. He reached for his pistols with shaking hands. Blood oozed out of the scratch in his arm, preventing him from putting any weight on it.

"Hey you!" I ran up to the T-Rex and kicked its scaly foot. It turned its face towards me and let out an ear-splitting roar, causing my eardrums to vibrate and my hair to fly. "W-why don't you try to catch me?" I cried stupidly as I turned around and started running the opposite way.

"What are you doing?" Nida screamed behind me, but I kept running.

The T-Rex's thunderous footsteps told me that I had succeeded in distracting it. It roared, but I had always been a fast runner, and I kept running until I reached a line of trees. I glanced back for a split second to see the T-Rex approaching, and hurled myself within the trees. Branches scratched at my arms and legs, but I managed to secure myself in between two overgrown stumps.

With a growl, the T-Rex poked his head in the trees, its filmy white eyes searching for me.

'Are you crazy?' Siren shouted furiously.

'Do you have a better idea?'I snapped back. Now that the imminent threat was over, I felt incredibly stupid. Nida was a trained fighter, while I had never even harmed an insect during my life on Earth.

Suddenly, a snapping sound was heard and the tree I was leaning against started to tip over. I gaped as the T-Rex's face came into view. It pushed aside trees with its face and spotted me. A deafening roar filled the air as the beast opened its mouth in rage. Spittle hit my face, along with the nasty, rotten-smelling breath, as I stood rooted, unable to think or make a move as two rows of razor sharp teeth came closer.

'Summon me!'

I snapped out of the daze and dropped onto my knees and crawled to my left. I don't know how… A second that felt like ages passed before the T-Rex brought its head down into the bushes and swung. The impact to my side caused me to go flying back into the clearing. I slid on the grass, feeling the skin on my hands peel. That's definitely going to leave a bruise. I attempted to scramble back up when the beast roared. I looked up apprehensively as it glared at me with its milky eyes before bringing its face down for another blow.

I covered my face with my arms. "Siren!" I screamed, and time seemed to stop. A few moments of silence passed before the scent of the ocean seeped into the air around me. I felt something leave my body, as if a spirit had decided it didn't want to possess me anymore. I looked up at the T-Rex, which was grunting in confusion. So I'm not imagining things.

Suddenly, the ground was overtaken by a wave of seawater, which hit the T-Rex and sent it buckling backwards, but had no impact on me. I stared around as the floor of the training center became a turbulent sea. Out of the water appeared a slender woman with flowing blond hair and wearing what looked like a lime green bathing suit. She carried a golden harp in her dainty hands. Before advancing on the T-Rex, she turned around to smile at me. My mouth dropped and I gaped at her. Where her ears should have been, she had two long feathery wings that rippled fluidly in the non-existent breeze.

"Stay back!" She shouted in Siren's voice.

I stared, entranced, as she caressed the strings of her harp. A low, tinkling melody filled the air, causing the water to ripple and tide. A strong wave started up as I moved out of the way, but somehow I knew the wave could not hurt me. A strong gust of wind, and the wave moved violently towards the roaring T-Rex. It cried out as the wave hit it hard and knocked it to the ground, and as soon as everything had started, it suddenly ended.

The waves disappeared, and with it, so did Siren. I inhaled deeply as I felt Siren's spirit return to me. My body shook violently as I watched the T-Rex struggling to regain its posture.

'How did I do?'asked Siren, her voice slightly out of breath.

'That was amazing!'

I turned around before the T-Rex could regain its strength and started running the opposite way, feeling a cramp start up in my leg.

"Izzy!" Nida yelled as he ran towards me.

I motioned for him to run away, but he didn't heed my warning. A second later, the beast roared once again and the dreadful thumping announced that it had started chase.

I watched Nida with wide eyes as he tried to summon another sleep spell.

Groaning, I turned around to see the T-Rex approaching. I have to distract it.Without a moment of hesitation, I hurled myself in the T-Rex's path. I waved my arms as it came closer, and the beast glared at me. I gulped as it let out another roar, this time louder. It made a swipe at me, and this time I didn't get a chance to roll away. Three claws dug into the soft flesh of my forearm and pain seared up my arm. Without a warning, the monster brought its head down and hit my body, causing me to tumble down onto my back. It glared at me; it's nostrils flaring with rage.

All of a sudden, a white ball of wind came out of nowhere and hit the monster right between the eyes. The T-Rex blinked several times before its eyes drooped. It swayed on the spot and then went limp as it tumbled to the ground, which reverberated with the impact. I gaped at the monster, which looked like it was innocently sleeping.

"Are you okay?" Sturdy hands came to rest on my shaking shoulders and I stood up. I turned around to see Nida, his hair askew and his eyes wide.

I nodded slowly. "Let's get out of here."

"Hold on, you're bleeding," Nida said as he grabbed my arm. He searched in his pocket and pulled out a small vial filled with pale green gel with a sticker on it saying 'Potion'. He uncorked the vial and tipped the contents onto my arm. The gel was cool and it tingled on contact, and in a matter of minutes I felt the skin on my arm stitching up.

"Thanks," I said and gave him an appreciative smile, "What about you? Did you get hurt?"

"I'm fine. Let's go before it wakes up," he answered and started leading me back towards the gap in the training center wall.

We soon reached the opening, through which I could see a balcony of sorts looking out into the night sky. We entered the 'secret area,' and I now noticed a familiar girl lingering over the balcony, talking to a guy wearing dark clothes.

"Let's go over there," said Nida as he grabbed my arm and led me towards a wooden bench sitting on the right side of the balcony.

I sat down beside him timidly, trying to avoid his gaze, and instead took in the scene around me. Vines crawled up the walls, bathing the balcony in their crisp scent. A couple sat huddled on the ground on the other side, oblivious to anything else but each other.

Nida cleared his throat, and I looked at his expectant gaze. I let out a shaky breath.

'You should start from the accident,'whispered Siren.

'Thanks.'

"Well? You said you wanted to talk?" Nida tilted his head to the side and scrutinized me.

I nodded. "I suppose I should start from the beginning," I started, "I'm not Izzy."

He narrowed his eyes, "Well I know you haven't been yourself lately, but-"

I put my hand up. "Let me explain," I told him about swerving to avoid the woman on the road, how the car had gone completely out of control. "There was this woman." I paused, shuddering on the memory. "She said she was a sorceress, and she did something to me."

Nida raised an eyebrow, "A sorceress?"

"Yes. After I got out of the car; I thought I'd just imagined her because – because of…" I trailed off. Because she had no reason to come back, did she? Tugging on a strand of my hair, I continued, "Anyway, she tried to touch me, and for a few seconds it felt like she was trying to take over my mind or something. It was totally bizarre." I shook my head before continuing, "But it didn't work, because the next second she was stumbling away from me as if I hurt her."

"I don't understand; what does this have to do with Izzy?"

"I wish I knew. But after all that happened, I lost consciousness and woke up in this world."

"Wait, what do you mean this world?" his voice was cold and calculating.

I sighed, "I don't know. This world, it's not the same as where I'm from. There's GFs, magic, it's really hard to wrap my head around it all." I gave him a hopeful look, "At first I thought this was all a dream, that I was in a coma or something from the car accident."

Nida shook his head. "No."

My heart sank. No matter how real this world felt a part of me had still clung on to the hope that I was dreaming.

"So you woke up here, I still don't understand how Izzy is connected."

"When I woke up, I wasn't me," I said. Seeing his confused expression, I explained, "I woke up in this body."

He looked at me coldly, distrust evident in his honey-brown eyes. I felt uncomfortable under his gaze and looked away. I didn't blame him. For all he knew, I was a stranger that had taken over his friend's body.

"So where's Izzy now?"

I sighed. "I don't know…" I met his eyes, "I have a theory about where she could be. I wonder if our bodies were simply switched by accident."

"By the Sorceress?" He asked, some of the coldness leaving his eyes.

"Most likely. I mean, I don't even know if she intended to send me here. I – I hadn't ever done anything to her."

He scrutinized me, his expression softening as he realized that I was not responsible for this. "Who are you?"

Taken aback by the question, I stuttered before answering, "M-my name's Natasha."

Nida nodded. There was a long silence, in which I stared at Izzy's short, clean fingernails, unable to think of anything to say to him.

"That's why you asked me if I knew any Sorceresses," he whispered to himself.

I looked up at him and nodded, "I have another theory. If she was trying to possess me, but accidentally sent me here, then I wonder if she's here as well."

"And Izzy's in your body back in your world."

"I hope so."

He narrowed his eyes, "what do you mean? You don't know?"

I gulped and shrunk under his gaze. "Well…when I woke up in Izzy's body," I paused, thinking of the right words to say, "There was a dagger sticking out of my– Izzy's chest."

Nida's eyes went wide.

"But then you came along and cured me, so she's probably fine."

He looked at me skeptically.

"As fine as she can be. I mean, Trevor probably took her home or something when she woke up."

"Trevor?"

"My friend. He was in the car. It was raining really hard, he probably didn't even notice the sorceress before it was too late." My stomach curled. What if Trevor had also gotten hurt?

Nida sighed, then nodded before rubbing his temples. "This is a lot to take in." I looked at his tired face, which had gone from cheerful to stressed in a matter of minutes.

"I know…" I paused, "but I'm hoping that as soon as I find the sorceress, everything can be fixed."

I wanted to ask him for help, and beg for him to trust me, but I knew I couldn't. He stared at his hands blankly, avoiding my gaze. Abruptly he stood up. "I think you should tell the Headmaster about this," he turned to look at me, "Especially since a sorceress is involved."

"I will, eventually."

He narrowed his eyes in anger and opened his mouth to retort, but I cut him off.

"Listen, if there is any danger for anyone else I will, but for now I want to find out more." I paused before continuing, "Besides, for all I know, the sorceress could be in my world, doing God knows what!"

"What if she's not?"

I stood up and looked pleadingly into his eyes. "What if she is? And if we get the Headmaster involved, I don't think his first priority would be to get me and Izzy switched back!"

There was an uncomfortable silence during which I put all my willpower into making him understand. Finally, he sighed, "Okay," and nodded. "I won't say anything…for now."

"Thank you," I answered sincerely.

He nodded again before turning around and walking back into the training center.

'Well that wasn't too bad.'

I jumped a little at Siren's voice. 'Yeah…' I shook my head. 'I really hope he doesn't say anything.' Nida was Izzy's friend, and I figured that was the reason he hadn't run to the Headmaster with news. He had no reason to trust me, but without me, he wouldn't be able to get his friend back. IF we can switch back, that is.

I shook my head. There's no reason dwelling on the negative. I had to believe that I would be able to get back, and that everything would go back to normal. My stomach rumbled with nervousness. I had only one desire: find the sorceress and get back home.

"Then go talk to a wall," a baritone voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up as the boy leaning over the balcony turned around and stormed out, leaving a blonde girl standing alone. Was that Squall?

The blonde, who I realized was Quistis, stood staring for a few seconds, and then followed him out. I took the chance to leave as well. I didn't want to get attacked by another monster and be alone to face it.

Keeping a safe distance between the two and myself, I made my way silently through the bushes. They walked in stony silence, which wasn't surprising considering he'd just yelled at her. There was a quiet tension between them, and I found myself wondering what they had been discussing earlier. I followed them across the bridge and towards the open metal gate, surprised that no monsters lurked around. The only sound was of running water and insects buzzing in the bushes. I kept a firm eye on the two SeeDs, staying close enough for comfort, but not so close that they would be able to hear my footsteps.

Suddenly, an ear splitting scream pierced the air, followed by a woman's cry for help. I watched Squall and Quistis run through the door, and after a second of hesitation, I ran after them.

'Be on your guard.'Siren whispered.

I hurled myself through the door, and suddenly wished that I hadn't. Squall held out a sword, while Quistis unfurled a whip from the belt around her hips. They stood facing a wasp-like creature, except it was over ten feet tall and trying to wrap its pincers around a brunette woman.

I gulped and sent a glance towards the exit. I think they'll be able to handle it. But even as I told myself this, I knew I couldn't just run away.

'Don't worry, you have me,'reassured Siren, and I instantly felt a little stronger.

I stepped up to the group just as Squall ran towards the monster with his weapon held high above his head. He swung the blade down hard into the wasp's back, causing it to squeal horribly. It turned around with a swish of its stinger, which narrowly avoided hitting the woman.

"Izzy! What are you doing here?" asked Quistis in surprise when she spotted me.

I turned to her and opened my mouth to answer, but the next second something slammed me hard in the back and I landed facedown on the ground. With a groan, I pulled myself up and turned around menacingly to come face-to-face with the ugliest thing I had ever seen. It looked like an armadillo, but with a blue, stone like shell. More like an armadillo on steroids. Standing four feet tall and with human-like limbs, it foamed at the mouth as it approached me menacingly. I braced myself as it came closer, gagging as the smell of rancid meat entered my nostrils. What the hell is this?

'It's a Raldo,'answered Siren.

It bent down and tried to grab at me and on impact I kicked at its scrunched face, causing it to recoil and roll up into its stone-like shell. It started to roll towards me, but I crawled out of the way and it went tumbling towards the other side of the clearing. I glanced to my right to see Quistis beating another one of the creatures with her whip.

A scream from behind me drew my attention towards the brunette girl. A smaller Raldo was advancing on her slowly. Without thinking, I pushed myself off the ground and ran over to the creature. The wasp's stinger came dangerously close to hitting me, but I dodged it and kept running. When I was close enough to the Raldo, I threw a punch at its back. Mistake. Shooting pain erupted over my closed fist and I cried out. The Raldo turned around, looking absolutely livid.

Panicking, I said the first thing that came into my head, "Uh… I'm sorry?"

It roared before smacking my face with sharp claws. The coppery taste of blood filled my mouth and I spit it out before turning back to the creature.

"Watch out!" screamed the girl. She pointed at something behind me and I glanced back to see the first Raldo advancing from behind. Frick on a stick.I stood rooted as the Raldo in front of me coiled up in its shell. I looked behind the Raldo at the girl, who started at me with fear in her eyes. What the hell is she doing in the training center anyway?

I diverted my attention back at the Raldo as it rolled on the spot. I turned around to see if I could distract the second Raldo. It coiled into its shell, getting ready for attack. I glanced between the two Raldos as they came closer to me. In a flash of adrenaline, I jumped out of the way just as the two shells thudded together. Identical squeals erupted from the creatures as they hit the ground.

"Get back!" Squall screamed, and motioned for the brunette and I to step away from the monsters. A sudden chill overtook my body as I offered the girl my hand, and with her stepped back towards the training center entrance. I looked around frantically.

A heartbeat passed during which the ground became encrusted with ice. The ground beneath my feet shook and I felt the girl tumble down to her knees. I kneeled down beside her, and put an arm around her trembling shoulders.

"What's going on?" I asked, but my voice was drowned as something shattered.

A shard of ice erupted out of the ground, sharp and clear. Within it was encased a woman seemingly asleep. My jaw dropped as she popped her eyes open. Just then, her ice cocoon shattered into a million pieces as she drew her arms above her head. I gaped at her ice-blue body, which was barely covered by dark films of what appeared to be ice. She bent over backwards, gathering light and energy in her palms. The light became an icicle the size of a two-door car and with a grunt the woman hurled it at the opposing monsters. The icicle became larger as it flew through the air and ended its journey by lodging itself in the wasp's chest.

With a squeal of pain, the wasp recoiled back, and twitching, fell to the ground. Before I could comprehend what was happening, three smaller shards of ice zoomed through the air and hit the Raldos, which met the same fate as the wasp.

Suddenly everything stopped and disappeared, leaving no trace that it had happened except for the bleeding monsters. I gaped as the three Raldos fell to the ground, tremors racking their bodies. The wasp twitched slightly before going limp in a pool of its own blood.

"Everyone okay?" asked Quistis as she rolled her whip and tucked it into her belt.

I helped the trembling girl to her feet and stepped away from her to inspect myself. Well, there's no broken bones. I brought a hand to my face, where the Raldo had scratched me and groaned.

"Are you hurt, Izzy?" asked Quistis as she put a hand on my shoulder.

I turned to face her, feeling slightly embarrassed that I was the only one injured. I nodded, and she smiled warmly before pulling out a vial of potion from a pocket in her belt.

"Thanks," I mumbled, and accepted the potion.Man, this stuff works wonders. I uncorked the vial and rubbed the potion over my face. It tingled as I felt it heal.

Squall was wiping his sword on the grass, and I now noticed that it had the handle and trigger of a gun. I watched him as he stood up and sheathed the weapon, then turned to the woman standing beside me.

I turned to the woman as well, wondering how she ended up alone in the training center. She was rather frail looking, dressed in an ankle-length white skirt and a sky-blue sleeveless top. On her dainty arms she carried a lime-green shawl. Why would she come into the training center dressed like that?

"Who-" Squall started towards the brunette woman, but was cut off by a thudding sound as the doors to the training center snapped open.

Two men in white jumpsuits entered, and without saying a word were at the woman's side. "It's not safe here," one of them declared as he led the woman towards the door.

She turned around and sent Squall a longing look before walking out with the two men.

We stood staring after the woman.

"Who was that?" Quistis mused as the gate snapped shut.

Squall shrugged, and without a word, stepped up to the gate and proceeded to press the button to open it.

Quistis sighed and turned to me. "Were you training, Izzy?" She regarded my disheveled SeeD uniform.

I nodded. "Sort of." I looked at her closely as we walked after Squall. Her expression was fairly apathetic, but I had not failed to catch glimmers of sadness in her eyes. She kept her eyes on Squall, who walked on without a glance backwards. I wanted to ask her if something had happened between them, but for the risk of sounding nosy, I remained silent.

We made our way silently out of the hallway until we reached the main hall. Squall stopped walking and turned around, opening his mouth.

"It's not like everyone can get by on their own, you know?" Quistis spoke before Squall made a sound.

Squall crossed his arms and looked away, his face blank and uncaring.

Quistis shook her head. She had a contemplating look on her face, as if she wanted to say more. Instead she turned around and walked off down the hallway.

I looked from her retreating back to Squall who stood watching her with defiance. He muttered something under his breath before drawing his eyes on me.

"That was sweet of you," I blurted.

He looked at me blankly for a second, as if I had just said the stupidest thing in the world, before turning around and walking down the hall.

I fell into step beside him. "So what exactly was that monster?"

He didn't answer, but kept walking as if he hadn't heard me. I sent him a reproachful look, because nothing bothered me more than being ignored.

Shrugging, I looked around the empty hallway, broken only by the sounds of running water and crickets. 'Do you think I could swim in this water?'

Siren giggled 'What? Probably.'

I started humming, trying to break the awkward silence.

'What is that tune?'

'Nothing special.'I shrugged.

Soon enough, Siren joined me, and I hummed louder, not noticing that Squall had stopped walking.

"Are you always this annoying?" he asked, arms crossed in irritation.

"Depends on who you're asking,"

He rolled his eyes before turning around. He practically jogged down the hallway and turned right towards the dormitories.

He really needs to lighten up.I slowly followed him, trying hard not to think about what the next day would bring. I'd already seen a dinosaur and a giant wasp, what next? Crap, I really don't want to get accustomed to being here.

'The more one adapts, the more they start to show their true selves,'lectured Siren.

I rolled my eyes. 'But I don't want to adapt, I just want to find a way to get back.'

'You get comfortable to things pretty fast, Natasha. It's in your nature.'

I silently agreed, though I wasn't happy about it. I looked around the Garden as I walked. The dead silence coupled with the unmoving robed men was discomforting, and I hastened my step.

I reached the dormitory entrance to find Zell talking to a bored looking Squall. "…Man, it took me forever!" he finished saying to Squall.

"What took you forever?" I asked as I approached the boys.

Zell turned to me and smiled warmly, while Squall ignored me and walked away to the boy's dormitory.

Zell watched him go with furrowed brows before turning back to me. "Izzy! Where have you been?"

Courting death a few times, Zell, what about you? "Around." I said instead.

"Well, I was just telling Squall that SeeDs get their own private rooms!" he said excitedly, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Yours should be across the hall from your old one," he continued once I didn't reply.

"Oh goody, I shouldn't have trouble finding it then."

He nodded before saluting. "See ya!" He turned into the boy's dormitory and disappeared down the hall.

I sighed and made my way towards my own room, which was easy enough to find. I cracked the door an inch and peeked inside before fully entering the room.

Well, I have no doubt that this is Izzy's room. It was a single bedroom, about twice as big as Izzy's previous one. Someone had been kind enough to cover the bed in the same lace sheets, and I saw the posters neatly rolled up on top of them. The study table had a hutch, the shelves of which were stacked with Izzy's textbooks.

On the left side was a door, and I opened it to reveal a single bathroom with shining while tiles and a claustrophobic-looking shower. Man, am I tired.I stepped back into the room and rummaged through the closet for a towel.

'Siren? Can I be alone now?'

'Surely. You've had quite the night.' Her voice was becoming faint as I felt her energy leaving my body. I gently put the stone on the bedside table, and stepped into the bathroom for a much-desired shower.

A feeling of dread overcame me as I thought about Nida. Would it be too much for me to ask him for help? I can't even begin to imagine where I'd start looking for the sorceress. I had kept an optimistic attitude so far, but the hope that I could make it by myself was scarce. Surely, I would get killed if I went out of the Garden on my own, but what choice did I have?

I stepped out of the shower, feeling the urge to burst out in tears. Why did this happen to me?Why was the sorceress after me? Was I someone expendable in her plan to take over my world? But why searchmeout, of all people?I shook my head. Surely, I was missing something. The sorceress had known who I was, and the sooner I could find her, the better.

I rummaged through the chest drawer, and pulling out a pair of flannel shorts, I quickly changed. I climbed into the down mattress and snuggled into the covers. My last thought was of the sorceress before sleep overtook me.


	8. A New Day

~Izzy~

Mirrors never lied, right? So why was every reflective surface Izzy looked at tricking her?

For the first time in her life, Izzy couldn't recognize the woman staring back at her through the mirror. She reached a tentative hand towards the reflection; the girl inside reaching for her, mirroring the disturbed, haunted expression Izzy knew she herself wore.

She thought that at any given moment the illusion would shatter and the world around her would crumble away to reveal her own.

Hoping that's gonna happen is beyond naive. Besides, Izzy reasoned, she felt different. Uncomfortable, alien in a body that wasn't, and couldn't be hers. Short, slender, and rather plain-looking, Izzy watched as the reflection reached up to smooth out dull black hair that fell in a straight line down to her shoulders. Izzy glared at the unremarkable features so unlike her own, as if her angry stare could somehow change the image back to what Izzy knew to be the right one.

Shuffling commotion sounded from outside the bathroom door and jolted Izzy away from the mirror. Before she could react further, the door was blasted open, and someone tall and heavy practically pummeled her.

Izzy froze, clamping her teeth from yelling out as the woman slowly released her. Tentatively, Izzy glanced up, and then backed away at seeing no familiarity in the soft, worried features.

"Natasha, honey?" the woman whispered carefully, as if talking to a very fragile person.

Izzy tensed. This had to be some kind of trick to get her defenses down. They must have kidnapped her. Izzy felt empty; someone had removed her GFs and magic. How, Izzy didn't know, but there was no sound in her mind or strength in her body that resided when she was junctioned.

The woman stepped closer, carefully, and Izzy smelled something flowery that must have been her perfume.

Izzy's eyes darted around, but finding no escape she backed up so that she was pressed uncomfortably against the cool marble sink.

"Natasha, you've had a shock, you'll be okay."

"That's not my name!" Izzy cried, noticing now that the voice coming out of her mouth was different as well; hating that it trembled with the fear she felt.

A sliver of a cringe passed the woman's expression, but then she spread out her hand, slowly reaching for Izzy; her face pleasantly neutral. "Okay, you can tell me who you are, but please come back in the room, sweetie."

Izzy stared at the outstretched hand, then back at the soft, grinning face. She dropped her sweaty palm into the woman's, and allowed her to lead the way back into the hospital room.

The mattress sank with a hiss as Izzy sat down on the bed. She should have realized earlier: the subtle differences from the Garden infirmary. Larger and more open than any of the infirmary rooms, it had a certain homely quality about it. Why hadn't she realized that it wasn't one of the Garden infirmary rooms?

"Natasha?" the soft voice spoke, and Izzy reluctantly met the woman's emerald eyes.

Izzy shook her head. "Where am I?"

"You had an accident, you don't remember?"

Again, she shook her head, confusion settling in. She should probably play along. It was possible she was here by mistake; that they'd intended to kidnap someone else. She couldn't imagine how someone could have swapped her mind into a different body. Unless the Galbadian Military has a weird new lab for these kinds of experiments. But then, where was her own body?

"Natasha-"

"Stop calling me that," Izzy snapped.

The woman cringed, clearly hurt by her tone. But a second later, her expression returned to its neutral state. "Okay, I'm sorry. What should I call you instead?"

"Izzy, my name is Izzy. I want to know why I'm here, and I have to go back to-" should she reveal that she was from Garden? Garden Code 1, Article 9: in the case that you are separated from your team, do not reveal Garden information to potential enemies.Izzy bit her lip.

"Okay, Izzy. Do y- do you recognize me?"

Izzy stared, not expecting to be asked such a ridiculous question. Narrowing her eyebrows, she answered, "should I?"

Sighing, the woman stood up straight, and wiping her forehead, whispered, "No, you wouldn't, would you? I was so afraid of this…" she shook her head and turned around to face the curly-haired boy who sat quietly in an armchair by the corner, who Izzy only noticed now.

"Trevor? Your uncle is waiting in the lobby, please…" her voice become too low for Izzy to hear.

Immediately after the door shut close, the boy named Trevor moved to sit next to Izzy.

"I believe you," he blurted.

"What?"

"That you're not Natasha. I- I never fully believed her before, but I believe it now." He fixed Izzy with a piercing gaze, as if expecting her to explode. "Look, Izzy, right?"

Izzy nodded.

"We have to fix this. Whatever this is."

Izzy's heart sank. "So you people aren't responsible for this?"

Trevor chuckled humourlessly. "It was that woman. She has something to do with this, I know it." He took a deep breath and continued, "last time, none of us believed Natasha when she said there was a sorceress involved in her accident. We thought she'd unintentionally done something horrible and lost the memory for it. Everyone thought Natasha was… was not right in the head, mentally fragile." He shook his head at the word, and met Izzy's gaze. "But she wasn't going crazy, she kept mumbling about this sorceress; saying she'd killed Noah, but we never took it seriously since after she came out of her shock she never mentioned it. She didn't even remember what had happened…" he covered his face with his hands, as if ashamed. "Auntie Carol thought she had that split personality disorder thing, since she couldn't ever remember where she'd come from, or the night of the accident; and after that she'd completely changed, and not just because of grieving, but because the sorceress did something to her that time too…" he trailed off, whispering into his palms.

Intrigued despite herself, Izzy asked, "Did you just say sorceress?"

"Huh? Yeah, I saw her; the woman, she was just as Natasha had described. She did something to her, but by the time I even noticed she was there, the woman disappeared, just vanished on the spot." Trevor shuddered, his face turning pale. "I couldn't do anything. Natasha passed out, and," he faced Izzy once more, "now you're not Natasha."

"No. Look, I don't know what's going on here, or who Natasha is, but I have to get to Garden and get this put right, and let everyone know we have a dangerous sorceress running around attacking people, and somehow she's got advanced magic that switches people's bodies." Izzy stood up and looked around the room. "By the way, where are we? Deling city?" she glanced out of the window at the brightly lit street below, surrounded by buildings. "Looks like it."

"No," Trevor answered. "Toronto. Where's Deling City and what's Garden, some kind of secret society?"

Izzy turned to face him so fast her neck kinked. "You don't know what Garden is? Where are we?" she rushed to the window and slid it open to stick her head out into the warm morning air.

The room was on a really high floor of a white brick building that overlooked a crowded, busy street. Cars and people bustled to and fro, emitting noises that reminded Izzy of her own home in Deling City. Though the smell of car exhaust and street-corner food was unwelcome, and the only reminder that this wasn't the strenuously clean capital city of Galbadia.

Izzy pushed herself away from the window, feeling her heart clench in a sudden bout of homesickness. "Where is this? How far from Galbadia?"

"Galbadia?"

Frustrated, Izzy took a deep breath in order to not blow up. "Galbadia. The entire western continent of the world! Only the greatest, most powerful nation!" Where the hell have you been holed up?

"Izzy…where do you think we are?" Trevor asked slowly.

"That's what I've been trying to figure out!"

"Okay," he got off the bed and grabbed a backpack from near the corner. From it, he pulled out a laptop and brought it over. "Okay," he repeated, "point out where Galbadia is on a map and we can figure out how to get there."

Izzy released a breath. It could be possible this place was untouched by Galbadian influences; she couldn't expect every person in the world to know about Galbadia. "It's actually Balamb Garden I need to get to." I can't believe he doesn't know about Garden.

"This… Garden place. You say we'd be able to find the sorceress there?" asked Trevor as the screen loaded up.

Resisting the strong urge to roll her eyes, Izzy answered, "No. But I have to let Headmaster Cid know that there's a dangerous sorceress attacking SeeD candidates. For all we know, she's already wreaking havoc around the world, hopefully nothing serious…" She bit her lower lip, wondering if Headmaster Cid was already aware of what had happened to her. Body switching, we've never even been told a sorceress could do that.

"Okay, here we go," Trevor brought the laptop over to Izzy and pointed to a map of the world. "We're in Canada," he pointed to a large landmass on the west.

Izzy leaned in and held her breath. It wasn't, couldn't be. "That's supposed to be Galbadia." She released the breath, slowly, trying to calm the violent thumping of her heart.

"This is North America."

Izzy shook her head; she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Becoming frantic in her desperation for normalcy, Izzy scrolled through the entire map. Why is nothing like it should be? It made no sense. Was she now in the future, where all the continents had shifted and been renamed?

"Izzy…" Trevor laid a hesitant hand on her shoulder.

"This- this is a map of the world, you said?" Izzy asked, willing her voice not to tremble.

His eyebrows narrowing, Trevor slowly nodded. "Haven't you ever-"

"This isn't the right map!" cried Izzy, much more shrilly than she had intended. "This is not Gaia! At least not the one I know…" Izzy leaned back against the headboard, taking deep breaths. Was she in a different world? No magic, no GFs, no Garden… in all her years of SeeD cadet training, Izzy had never come across something like this. No one had ever prepared her for this kind of situation. And I don't even know if Garden exists over here…

"Izzy?" Trevor scooted closer, but at that moment, the door opened with a creak, and the same blonde woman returned, holding the hand of a man that must have been her husband.

"Natasha? I mean, Izzy. Are you ready to leave here?" the woman asked.

Izzy looked at Trevor, who nodded and mouthed 'mother.'

Turning back to Natasha's mother, Izzy nodded, and then uttered, as sincerely as she could, "Yes…Mother."

The woman burst into tears, clutching onto her husband, who grinned at Izzy through ridiculously white teeth.

Reluctantly, Izzy grinned back. I'm a SeeD candidate, and being so, I will take on any challenges that I have to.

~Natasha~

I slammed to the ground with the memory of a dream trickling from my mind like water escapes cupped palms. Pain shot through my temples as if there was a vigorous tennis match going on between them. I kicked the clinging bedcovers away from my sweat soaked legs in a flurry. Why isn't the bloody fan on? Groaning, I snapped my eyes open to be met with rays of sunlight streaming through the open curtain. But my room has shutters…

All of a sudden, memory: magic healing a person in seconds, spirits mentally talking to people, and an unfamiliar face in the mirror….

I moaned and beat my forehead with my palm as the realization came to me. I was thrust into a different world, in someone else's body. And I complain about having to wake up for class. I craned my neck to glance at the clock, which read 6:09. That meant I had slept a lovely three and a half hours. I groaned again and stood up. It was impossible for me to sleep again once I got up.

The events of the previous night came rushing into my mind. The dance, then the lovely jungle that was the Training Center, being confronted by an actual dinosaur, and that giant wasp thing; why the hell do they have monsters like that running around?

But that hadn't even been the hardest part. Telling Nida about my identity seemed like a breeze compared to what I had to do now. My heart clenched tightly as a feeling of dread shadowed everything else. For the first time since I had been thrust into this world, I felt completely alone. I wrapped my arms around myself as I thought about the journey ahead of me. Where would I even begin? Surely, I couldn't ask anyone for help. Nida had been my biggest hope, and if his reaction had been so negative, how would anyone else react? What a beautiful morning. I rolled my eyes.

Sighing, I crawled up off the floor and stretched. Now what does one do at six am around here? I looked around the room, admiring how neat it looked. My room back home is never this clean. My heart jumped into my throat as I felt my eyes water. I shook my head; thinking about home was not something I was prepared to handle.

Instead, I picked the fluffy bed sheets off the floor and started to make the bed. Where do I go now? Sticking around Balamb Garden wasn't a good option, but did I want to go out alone, in a world where any weird monster could jump out at me?

Stop being a pansy-assed chicken!

I would have to get myself a weapon somehow, which, when I thought about it, wouldn't be a difficult task considering where and who I was. I'll also need a map and food and those potion things. I jumped across the room and flung open the closet. Probably some clothes. There, in the corner, was a large beige shoulder bag. I pulled it out and emptied it of the schoolbooks, none of which I would need. I would start with that Balamb place; there had to be a chance someone would have seen or heard of the sorceress.

There came a loud rapping on the door. I jumped slightly before I hurled myself across the room and threw the door open.

"Morning Izzy!" Selphie chirped, bouncing her way through the doorway, clad entirely in canary/ yellow. She paused, letting her gaze travel around the room, until it flickered up to rest on me. "Why aren't you ready yet?"

I stared at her "Err, for what?"

She slapped her forehead and smiled apologetically. "I totally forgot to tell you yesterday! All the new SeeDs have to assemble in the 2F boardroom in about," she checked her wristwatch, "twenty minutes."

"Why?"

"To get our weekly assignments and SeeD IDs, silly!" With a wave, she left before I could even open my mouth to speak, murmuring about waking Squall up.

I sighed, and finished packing Izzy's bag with some clothes, The Sorceress War (a book I thought might be useful,) and Izzy's diary. I'd get those potions and sneak some food from the cafeteria later.

As I was buckling up Izzy's boots, my eyes fell on the glowing, pale yellow stone sitting on the side table next to the now wilting lilacs.

Of course! Why was I worried about stupid monsters when Siren was on my side? At least I wouldn't be completely alone in a world where I didn't know anything.

About ten minutes later, I quietly shut and locked the door of Izzy's room. Siren kept a constant stream of chatter about what she had been up to after I unequipped her the night before. Without me asking, she explained that Guardian Forces had a world of their own, kind of a spirit world where things were not tangible, but shifting as the spirits desired.

'So how do you become stones?' I asked.

Siren let out a tinkling giggle. 'We don't become stones.' She paused, thinking of a way to explain. 'Some of us choose to guard over humans who need our help. The stones that you use are the only way to let us know you need us. It wasn't long ago that they tapped into our world while seeking help in fighting forces that were out of their control.'

Wait a minute. 'Are you talking about magic? People here couldn't control magic?' I couldn't think of any other 'uncontrollable forces.' I thought of how easily Nida had healed my wounds. 'But they did learn to control it.'

'Unh huh. It's only with our help that they did though.'

'Hmm. 'Then something occurred to me. 'So does that mean Sorceresses have GFs too?'

Her usually cheery tone turned low and dark, 'Some humans have learned to use magic without us.' She paused, as if trying to find the best way to tell me,' Humans are power hungry. They tried to take over our world and control us too.'

'So why decide to help them?'

Siren sighed, and I felt as though she was smiling when she answered, 'because not all people are bad. Just like not all spirits are good.' She paused before continuing, 'I'm sure you're well aware of the distinction.'

As usual, you provide nothing more than a vague answer to my questions. I smirked. In truth, I couldn't help but think about my parents, about how I felt like a stranger in my own home sometimes. After Noah's death, I felt as if they wished it had been me who died and not him. Not that I blame them for blaming me…

'But you should know, Natasha, that it's not as simple as that. People and spirits aren't just clearly good or bad.'

I nodded, swallowing a lump that had formed in my throat. 'You're right. It's all about the decisions you make.' I wished my parents had decided not to send us away that day.

Sensing my discomfort, Siren decided to change the subject. 'I think you're making the right choice.'

'What are you talking about?'

'About searching for the Sorceress on your own.'

'Hmm, well, you kind of warned me not to tell anyone about who I am.'

It was a few seconds before Siren answered, 'That's not what I said, Natasha.'

'But you stopped me from telling the Headmaster, and look what happened with Nida. You were right to stop me.'

'I sensed danger, earlier, when you decided to tell the Headmaster, but not with Nida. That's all.'

'I don't understand.'

Siren explained that Guardian Forces could sense if a decision would bring danger, which totally made me think of Spiderman's Spidey sense. 'We have the power to warn you and assist you in danger,' Siren continued, 'So yes, I'm like your personal Spiderman.'

'You know about Spiderman?'

'I learn more about you and your world as we spend more time together remember?'

I nodded, trying to wrap my head around it all, and by the time I reached the elevator my mind was spinning.

"Izzy!" someone cried as I stepped up to the platform.

I turned around to see Nida jogging up the stairs. He paused as he reached the top and for a few seconds we just stared at each other awkwardly. Hair disheveled and eyes puffy, he looked rather tired.

"So…" I bit my lip, embarrassed at my pathetic attempt at conversation. "Are you on your way to the boardroom?"

He nodded, "I wanted to make sure you didn't get lost."

"Thanks."

The elevator dinged open and we got in silently.

"Listen, N-Natasha," he paused, eyebrows narrowed as if trying to get used to the name. "I thought about what you told me, and I believe we should go to Headmaster Cid."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I can't do that," and before he could protest, I explained Siren's warning from when I'd myself wanted to tell the headmaster about the sorceress. "And I'd rather not risk it. I mean, what if they think I'm lying, or that Izzy is insane or something?"

"You told me and I believe you," he said calmly.

Opening my mouth to speak, I realized I had nothing to say. I followed Nida silently as we made our way down the hall.

Floor to ceiling windows covered an entire wall of the boardroom, allowing a spectacular view of the mountains that surrounded Balamb Garden. Sunlight beamed down on us, illuminating the figures of Selphie sitting, alert and grinning, and Squall, concentrating on the tabletop with what I could only assume was quiet fascination.

Nida and I sat down on the two empty seats next to Selphie, who greeted us with a smile.

"What's going o-" the words were halfway out of my mouth when rumbling commotion sounded from outside. The door was suddenly flung open and Zell walked in, grinning sheepishly and scratching the back of his head. "I made it," he said to the far corner of the room, where a faculty member stood unnoticed.

"Sit down," ordered the faculty member in his guttural voice.

A few silent minutes passed before a familiar looking young woman stepped into the room, and announced that Headmaster Cid was on his way.

Squall immediately looked up from his scrutiny of the table, and Zell sat up straighter, looking serious.

"At ease, everyone." Headmaster Cid strolled up to the front of the table and sat down. He looked at each of us in turn, grinning at us proudly, as if we were his kids or something.

"First of all, I want to commend you on your behaviour at the Inauguration Ball yesterday. As SeeDs, you set an example…"

There was a tiny scuff mark on the shiny table where Nida's face was reflected. He shifted in his seat, causing the black mark to move onto the reflection's nose.

I looked up and followed his gaze to the faculty member, who was now speaking. "…can be dangerous, but as our clients, they reserve the right to…"

Distraction was now found in the window, in the clouds that moved to block the sun, bathing the room in momentary drabness. What was I doing here? I could have been to Balamb by now.

I wonder if Nida's right.

'Natasha,'

'I know, I know, you said it would be dangerous to tell Cid.'

'No, I was going to say that you should pay attention.'

"…they will update you on your SeeD assignments, and you will submit all your reports and test answers on them." Cid was holding up a little PDA type device.

The black-haired female SeeD shuffled through a briefcase, and one by one, passed a device around to all five of us. "These control your lives from now on," she said, not joking one bit.

Headmaster Cid beamed around at us. "Use them well." He got up. "You are dismissed."

I stashed the PDA in Izzy's bag, and was the first to walk out of the door.

Several hours later, I found myself trying to sneak past the lobby and out into the front gate. It was sunny and rather warm once I stepped out into the courtyard. Birds chirped and insects buzzed happily, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. Who knew how big this world was?

So Balamb was just past that forest, and there was only that one main road that we took.

The Garden front gate was already open, and a few students loitered around. I paused to double-check Izzy's bag. I'd packed a spare pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, the only thick sweater Izzy owned, a world map I'd found in Izzy's desk, plus some well-wrapped sandwiches, drinks, and chocolate I'd "borrowed" from the cafeteria. Potions and health supplies had been easy to get, once I'd gone looking in the infirmary and told the doctor there some story about going on a mission. I can deal with guilt later, preferably when I'm back home and enough time's passed that I can look back and laugh about this. Not like "haha it was so funny" but more like "haha boy am I glad to be out of this situation."

I pulled out the map to find the fastest route to the town. Balamb, it seemed was a small island nation in the middle of the Central, unnamed body of water. Other than Balamb town and Garden, there didn't seem to be much else on the island. Fire Cavern didn't really sound very inviting.

'From Balamb, you can take a ship to Dollet.'

I nodded silently, hoping I wouldn't have to go to Dollet at all. For some reason, the name Galbadia kept coming to my mind. Galbadia, why am I thinking of that? I consulted the map. The entire Western continent was named Galbadia. Then I remembered: Zell and the others had been talking about fighting Galbadian reinforcements in Dollet. Perhaps that would be the place I would eventually have to go; it seemed important somehow.

The three boys that had been loitering near the front gate were now making their way back towards the turnstiles. Sighing, I checked Izzy's bag one last time, and walked out onto the stone pathway.

"Natasha!"

The sudden sound of my name jolted me away from my purpose. I turned around to see Nida running through the courtyard, waving at me to come back inside the gates.

Reluctance weighed down my steps; heavy and uncomfortable; so that by the time I reached the gate again, Nida was already there.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, scowling.

"Well, yeah, I can't really stick around here," I told him matter-of-factly. What did he expect, that I would go around pretending to be Izzy for the rest of my life?

His scowl deepened somewhat as he crossed his arms. "Do you even know where you're going?"

Anger suddenly swelled up in my gut. "Of course not! I've never exactly been here before. But I really can't stick around waiting for the sorceress to find me! I don't even think she knows I'm Izzy right now." I stepped back towards the gate. "Thanks for listening yesterday, but I would really appreciate it if you didn't mention anything," I gave him a pleading look, and when he didn't respond, I turned away and walked out the gates.

Before I'd gone a couple of steps, Nida called, "I can't let you go out there alone. Do you have experience fighting monsters? Can you use and junction magic? Have you ever handled a pinwheel?"

I turned around. "Well, no, but it can't be that bad right?"

Nida glared, "I can't let you go on your own. You're gonna get yourself and Izzy killed trying to take on a sorceress." he released a breath. "At least let me help you."

"Really? Do you know anything about the sorceress?"

He shook his head, "but we can find out,"

I opened my mouth-

"without telling anyone else," he cut in.

"Okay, what do you suggest?"

"We should start with the library. We've never learned about anything like this in any of our classes, not even history, but there has to be something in the library about interworld travel."

I nodded. It made sense

He nodded. "Listen, I may have been a little harsh yesterday, but what you told me was way over my head. You've been thrust into this world, just the same as Izzy's been thrust into yours."

"Yeah, I wonder how she's doing…"

"Me too. But she's a pretty strong person," he paused, and I saw a faraway look in his eyes. But a few seconds later, the look disappeared, and he continued, "she's been through worse, so I don't think she'll have trouble surviving."

Yeah, I really don't think survival's an issue. Instead I said, "It's not that dangerous where I come from."

Nida raised an eyebrow.

I moved away from the gate and we started walking back through the courtyard. "I mean, it can be dangerous, but your world is more dangerous. We don't have random monsters walking around. Well, unless you count pedophiles and creeps, but I mean like giant insects and the like." I paused when I caught Nida's confused expression.

"I'm babbling, aren't I?" heat crept up my face and I cleared my throat.

Nida chuckled. "A little bit."

I smiled and met his gaze again. How exactly to I explain what Earth is like to someone who's never been there? "Ok, so the main difference I've noticed so far is that Earth isn't rampant with monsters. There's animals, but they're usually under human control and we don't have to fight them on a daily basis. So we don't really need to fight all the time."

He nodded.

I proceeded to explain how we didn't have spirits that could reside in our minds, and that magic wasn't something common. The truth was I felt as if something had been dislodged from my chest, because by some miracle, Nida wanted to help me get back home. Sure his reason was because he wanted to get his friend back, but beggars can't ever be choosers, and I would take all the help I could get.

"So what exactly happened the night you were sent here?" Nida asked after I finished.

I stared at him for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. What exactly HAD the sorceress done? She had tried to enter my mind, of that I was certain. "Well, I did tell you all I remembered, but the sorceress, at least that's what she called herself, I don't know what she was trying to do…"

"What do you mean? Who was she?"

I shook my head. "I wish I knew, but as I said, I had never seen her before. But she knew who I was, as if she meant to seek me out." I sighed and looked at him hopelessly.

He narrowed his eyes, "the only sorceress I know about is Adel, and she was put out of power years ago."

"It wasn't Adel. She looked different." I described the sorceress' face, shuddering slightly as I remembered her intense tawny eyes that had seemed to be able to see through me. "She had wings and she wore this weird headpiece." Nida's expression remained stoic and unchanging as I explained the sorceress' appearance. So he doesn't know who she is either.

He scratched his chin once I finished. "So we need to find her, which is difficult since we don't know if she's here or in your world."

I nodded slowly. "Listen… I know it's a lot to take in. How do we look for someone who might not even be here?"

He paused as we reached the turnstiles. Quistis and Xu were huddled in the corner with an irate Headmaster Cid. We passed them and entered the Garden lobby.

Nida continued, "Well, the best thing to do right now is to try to find out more information." He grinned reassuringly. "And you need to blend in around here if you're going to pretend to be Izzy."

"I thought I was blending in okay…?" I stopped mid-sentence at the look on his face.

Nida shook his head. "It's not that you're not blending in, it's just pretty obvious that you're acting differently."

I nodded. "Well, I did read her diary to try and- what?"

His eyes went wide as he choked out, "You read her diary?"

So what? It's not like she cares what I know. "Yeah, so?"

"Wha-" He shook his head and then shrugged. "Never mind."

"Well, it's not like I particularly looked for a diary, I just found it, and had to read it to learn more about her." I didn't mention that there were entries solely about him in there. "Should I not have read it? Because-"

"Don't worry," he said, waving his hand dismissively, "priorities. I say we try and find information about this sorceress first… nothing you told me about her sounds familiar, but there has to be a book with information."

Nodding, I followed Nida to the library, feeling a massive relief bubble lifting in my chest. Nida was someone I could trust, and he was willing to help me find a way home. And helping me means he helps Izzy. It's totally win/win.


	9. Learning

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Geez, we've been in the library for five hundred hours.

Nida's gorgeous face twisted into an intimidating scowl as he looked from me to the book I'd been pretending to read for the past half hour. Clearing my throat, I instantly brought my attention back to Chapter 24 of Sorcery throughout history. After a few unsuccessful attempts at absorbing a single word, I felt myself begin to drift off once more.

Click-click, click-click, click-click.

"Would you stop that!" hissed Nida from behind the humongous Theories of Magic.

Sighing, I flung my pen with a little too much force. It bounced off the table and ricocheted off the wall, clattering seismically through the pin-drop library silence.

Nida's glare practically burned a hole in my skull as I bent below the desk to retrieve the blasted pen, and by the time I resurfaced, Nida wasn't the only one scowling.

"Izzy!" the librarian whispered, hands resting on her hips in a chastising manner.

I mouthed 'sorry' but that didn't seem to be enough. The pig-tailed girl gestured me to follow her as she turned around and walked away from the study desks and towards the front of the library.

I gave Nida a helpless sort of look, but he just shrugged, whispered, "You better go with her," and went back to reading his book.

Shaking my head at his unhelpfulness, I reluctantly followed the librarian, who was now standing behind the counter and watching me expectantly.

'Don't tell me I'm in trouble for dropping a pen,'

'You're not...'

"Hey Izzy," she greeted as I approached the front desk, and to my bewilderment, grinned rather sweetly. "I heard you passed the SeeD exam. Congratulations!"

"Um thanks," I said awkwardly.

"But I'm sure you won't be able to participate in the library committee anymore?" She paused to take a breath, and her gaze flitted to the space behind me. Instantly turning scarlet, the pigtailed girl snapped her mouth shut, her eyes wide and staring at something behind me.

I turned around to see nothing more interesting than a few students enter the library. Turning back to the librarian, I noticed that she was now trying hard to hide behind the computer screen. Ok that monitor may be massive, but who is she fooling? "What's wro-"

"Excuse me!" a familiar male voice cut me off. Zell strode up to the desk, seemingly oblivious to the now scarlet face emerging from behind the screen.

He flashed me a friendly smile and nod before turning his attention to the librarian.

"W-what can I do f-for y-you?" squeaked the librarian. Her fingers were clasped so tightly on the tabletop that her knuckles turned white.

Without any hesitation, Zell launched into a cacophony of unintelligible speech. I waited for a minute, in case the librarian wanted to talk to me, but it seemed as if she had forgotten I was there. I took the moment to inconspicuously leave the front desk, although I doubted the librarian would have noticed even if I'd tap danced my way through the library; she seemed rather taken with the blond SeeD.

As I returned to the study area, I realized that Nida still had his face buried into the volume. My stomach sank a bit at seeing him so invested in gaining information. Saturday night had gone by in a blur of books, but Nida and I had so far found nothing that would help us.

To my intense frustration, Nida had practically woken me up at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning to drag me to the library yet again. Now, I sat back down in the uninviting wooden seat, and picked up the list of books Nida had compiled the previous night.

We've nearly read through all these books. I scanned the list again, hoping that a bazillionth look through it would somehow illuminate the name of the one that would reveal anything about 'interworld travel' (as Nida had called it) and sorceresses.  
Hollow as my empty stomach was, it growled like an angry beast, demanding to be fed right away. Damn him for making us skip breakfast.

At that exact moment Nida decided to shove his book into my face. "Read this," he hissed.

I grabbed the volume. 'Sorceresses are understood to be direct descendants of Hyne, due to their ability to use magic without the aid of guardian forces or the draw command.' I looked up.

"Whoopie," I said in a deadpan voice, "Didn't we already know that?"

Rolling his eyes, Nida pointed to a paragraph below the one I'd been reading.

'Of all the powers a sorceress may possess, the most intriguing is their ability to sway the minds of individuals, and bend their thinking in order to turn the person into a puppet. It is speculated that a sorceress may possess the ability to travel in time and even dimensions, but evidence has never been seen of such actions. Research has been conducted on the site of the sorceress memorial, but-'

I stood up abruptly. "This is it!"

"Shh!" Someone hissed.

I sat back down and turned to Nida excitedly. "We have to go here... why are you frowning?"

He bit his lower lip, and the movement of his teeth clamping down on the soft-looking pink flesh momentarily distracted me.

"Because-" his voice snapped me back to reality. "Because the Esthar continent is desolate."

"What?"

"It doesn't contain life, Natasha."

I poked the page, "then why does it say there's been research done there?"

Nida let out an impatient tsk. "Read the entire paragraph," he hissed, frowning.

I turned back to the book and read aloud this time, "the entirety of Esthar has been desolate - I totally know what that means, by the way, you didn't need to explain-"

Nida glared and pointed back at the book.

I cleared my throat and continued, "-has been desolate for seventeen years. Since the end of the Sorceress War, Esthar has been perpetually uninhabited." Underneath the paragraph was a picture of a futuristic city with large walkways leading to a ginormous, circular building that looked like something out of an Ursula Le Guin novel.

I read the entire paragraph again, feeling my newfound bubble of excitement popping. With a loud sigh, I slumped deeper into my chair. "Now what?"

Nida was scratching his chin and biting his lip again, something I noticed was a bit of a habit with him. "We keep looking," he finally replied and picked up a book from the pile on my desk.

Keep looking? I abruptly sat up. "With all due respect for that plan, I think we're pretty much done looking."

He shook his head, but I cut him off before he could get a word in.

"Look, we've looked through all these books already," I gestured to the pile of thirty or so thick volumes piled haphazardly on both of our desks, "and the closest we've gotten to finding anything is a paragraph about something that doesn't exist. Maybe I should-"

"We," Nida corrected.

"Maybe it's time to start looking for her outside," I implored.

Nida watched me for a few seconds, as if contemplating his words carefully. "We don't have any leads or indication of what she even looks like,"

"I told you what she looks like!" I argued.

He put up his hands defensively, "I know you did, but no one else knows who she is. We don't have a lead," he repeated. "It's foolish to go out on a mission without a plan of action. All the training we've had so far goes against it. Not to mention it's completely illogical."

Cus, you know, magic and GF monsters are so logical. I raised an eyebrow, "We've completely passed the point of logic wouldn't you say? Me being here and all?"

Nida chewed on his bottom lip, and guilt chewed up my stomach. I really didn't want to be rude to him. "Listen, I-"

Smack! "What in Gaia have you done to that book?"

The shriek caused both Nida and I to jump, and Theories of Magic tumbled from my lap and onto the floor.

A flash of dark blue and yellow was all I saw as I bent to pick up the book, and before my fingers so much as grazed the cover, the library committee member snatched it off the floor.

"Out!" he screamed, pointing towards the library entrance. "You two have been disrupting the peace all morning."

I opened my mouth to protest, but Nida grabbed my arm, apologized to the scowling library guy, and dragged me away.

"You know, Izzy has never been kicked out of the library before," he said as we walked out into the hallway, "and neither have I."

I faced him with an apologetic grimace. "Really? Sorry, I know I can be loud sometimes."

To my surprise, he laughed. "Let's just go get some lunch."  
The rest of the day was spent in a perpetual state of learning for me. I had a lot of questions about SeeD and Garden, and Nida seemed more than happy to provide answers. I felt like a child, just bombarded with information about the new and exciting world of which I was thrust into and had to be a part of. Getting used to being Izzy was easier than I could have imagined, considering I would never have imagined having to do such a thing.  
Garden may have been a mercenary academy, but it felt like a regular boarding school to me, especially when I learned that the SeeD candidates were in fact teenagers, and not the early-twenty-somethings I'd first thought. I can't believe that I thought this was a dream.

Everything felt so real; even the face in the mirror was starting to look familiar. But I didn't want to get accustomed. I had to keep telling myself that all this was temporary, and I would be back home to see everyone once again soon enough.

Monday morning found me jolted out of sleep by shrill beeping that could only be coming from a creature from the bowels of hell. I peeled myself out of bed and looked around for the source of the noise. There, on the side table, sat the SeeD communication device, blaring so loud, the vibration nearly caused it to fall off the table. I caught it before it dropped to the floor, and punched open the notification.

Beep. "SeeD class schedule for the week of Monday, June 10…"

I barely looked through the schedule and moved on to the next notification. It was an email from Nida: "Meet me in the 2F classroom when you're awake."

I closed the inbox and sighed. when I really thought about it, staying at Garden and living Izzy's life until I found some information about the sorceress that could help was the best option I had. But still… it didn't feel right, nor was it practical for me to walk around pretending to be someone I'd never even met.

'But it's the only thing you can do right now,' Siren piped up.

I silently agreed, but couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something important; something on the tip of my mind that I couldn't quite access.

With a shrug, I shook off the uncertainties and headed out towards the cafeteria. Meeting Nida was important, but my stomach protested with rumbling wails that needed to be dealt with first.

Lit with the brilliant sunshine streaming in from the glass ceiling, water sparkled as it flowed through the fish shaped fountains into the rippling pools in the center of Garden. I walked slowly, enjoying the soothing sounds of water passing through stone.

Upon reaching the hallway marked 'Cafeteria,' I found myself nearly crushed by someone on a skateboard that…is it floating in mid-air? I gaped open-mouthed as he disappeared down the hall in a blur of red and denim blue, and into the doorway at the end. How awesome is that! I jogged down the hallway, hoping to catch him before he left. I must ride that skateboard…

In my pursuit, I barely noticed as a flash of dark brown suddenly materialized in front of me. I tumbled to the ground in a heap and looked up to see an impossibly muscular person looking down at me.

"Sorry, Izzy!" he offered his hand and pulled me off the ground with so much force, that when he let go, I almost fell down again. He laughed, before walking away with an enthusiastic wave and "See ya!"

Freshly baked bread mingled with coffee to create the most welcome and delicious aroma I'd inhaled in what seemed like forever. I walked into the cafeteria. Hmm. There was nothing like good old carbs and caffeine to get your day started. My stomach rumbled with hunger and I practically ran up to line forming in front of the buffet table.

The cafeteria was a huge, dome shaped room that put my university cafeteria to shame with its marble floors and glass ceiling. Lush plants with big leaves sat in fat vases around the tables, which themselves were round, and made of expensive looking wood.

I piled my plate with a bunch of wholesome goodness, and having seen other students handing over their ID cards, I slipped Izzy's card to the lunch lady at the end of the line. I sat in a quiet little corner, away from where most of the other students sat (not that there were many students).

Sweet! Without hesitation, I shoved a bagel into my mouth, bit off a huge bite, and washed it down with a delicious sip of tea. Sweet nourishment, what will I ever do without you?

"You know, normally people chew their food before swallowing."

The sudden voice caused me to jump in my chair, spilling the entire contents of my cup of tea onto my arm. I nearly chocked on bagel, but managed to swallow the bite. I moaned in pain as the liquid seeped through the sleeve of the cardigan and onto my skin.

I hastily removed the sweater before looking up to give the glare of death to whoever had interrupted me.

"Zell! I will murder you!" I growled.

He scratched the back of his head, "Sorry Izzy." Reaching over, he grabbed a bunch of paper towels from the dispenser and shoved them at me.

I proceeded to wipe the tea off my arm, and when the burning subsided, I sat back down with a plunk, and wiped the edge of the table. I groaned again as I looked at the empty cup of tea.

Sighing, I grabbed the cup and got up.

Zell cleared his throat before tentatively reaching for the cup. "Um, let me get it for you," he said, a lopsided, apologetic smile on his face.

My annoyance quickly went away. He seemed truly sorry, and the guy offered me tea… "Sure! If it's not too much trouble, thanks." I smiled for added measure.

His face instantly brightened and he walked off to the thinning line in front of the coffee section of the buffet table.

Well that was nice.

I held up the cardigan in front of me, trying to see if it was still wearable. The left sleeve was completely drenched in tea, staining the canary yellow into a gross-looking beige colour. Underneath the sweater, I'd chosen to wear a distasteful frilly pink top.

Izzy's wardrobe mostly comprised of girly things; nothing that I myself would wear. Whatever, it's not like I'm me right now anyway. Besides, what would have probably looked hideous on me didn't look half as bad on Izzy.

Zell came back with a steaming cup of tea and carefully put it on the table in front of me. As I thanked him, he took out the seat opposite me, turned it around, and sat down so that he was pressed against the backrest.

I hungrily grabbed the tea and took a tentative sip. Hmm…

Zell chewed off half a sausage in one go. His plate was piled with sausages and eggs.

Jeesh! How does he eat like that and stay in shape? But then, I had noticed that everyone at Garden was in great shape. It only made sense; Garden was a mercenary academy after all.

Next to his seat, he'd propped up his bright blue wheel-less skateboard.

"Hey, Zell?"

"Hmm?" he grunted with a full mouth.

I smiled and asked, "Can I borrow your Back to the Future-esqe skateboard sometime?"

He swallowed loudly. "My what?"

Oh crap, he wouldn't know about Back to the Future.

"No way!" he exclaimed once he saw me eyeing the board. "No one rides my T-board but me! Plus, you'll seriously hurt yourself."

I shrugged and went back to sipping at my tea. You would think I'd asked for one of his kidneys or something.

"Since when do you approve of my T-board?" he asked, shaking a fork in the air accusingly.

"What? Why would I not approve?"

"You're such a pain in the ass about it usually."

Whoops. I shrugged again.

Zell watched me for a few seconds, and I uncomfortably looked away.

"So," Zell said between bites, "are you excited for your first mission?"

My mouth fell. "What? When is it? I didn't know I had to go on a mission!" and why didn't anyone mention anything?

Zell put his hands up. "Calm down, jeez!" he scratched the back of his head. "I was only making conversation.

A sigh of relief passed through me, and I let out a nervous laugh. "Right, whew!" I mimed wiping my forehead. "You scared me."

He stared at me as if I was a crazy person, so I decided to nibble on the end of my bagel without a word. The last thing I want is to mess up Izzy's school life too.

Zell took a bite of scrambled eggs. "You know," he said after swallowing, "you're really acting strange."

I sighed. "Um, I guess." I refused to meet his eyes.

"Yeah, you're never this high-strung. I always thought you were a lot like Squall, all calm and quiet." he looked at me suspiciously.

Geez, why is everyone so hung up on the suspicious part of this? Instead of answering him, I loudly cleared my throat, smiled widely, and said, "Well, this has been fun, but I have to go." I abruptly pushed my chair back with a loud scrape, gathered Izzy's bag, and high-tailed it out of there. How long am I going to keep running away from anytime someone mentions I'm not Izzy?

I pushed all negative thought out of my mind as I focused on what Nida had told me to do. The main second-floor classroom… If I remembered correctly, Nida had mentioned the main classroom as being the one where had Squall awkwardly given his inauguration speech.

The room was empty when I entered. I checked Izzy's SeeD device. There were no other emails from Nida.

Now what?

I looked around the room, then out into the hallway, where a few students loitered. Biting my lip, I decided that the best thing to do was to wait for Nida. He'd told me about the study panels the previous day, and probably wanted to go through one of them.

After finding Izzy's study desk at the back of the classroom, I wasted no time in sitting roughly in the cushioned chair and turning the machine on.

'Izzy Kou….

GFs: Quezacotl (unavailable)

Ifrit

Siren

…..

Touch here to obtain GF Ifrit.

I touched the button next to Ifrit's name. Suddenly a grinding sound erupted out of the machine, followed by a gentle hissing as the small compartment next to the screen opened up. Inside sat a bright red, spiky stone that looked like a ball of fire. Cool, another GF.

I heard Siren groan when I rubbed the stone.

Sorry, Siren, but you have to make room. I grinned as my body started to tingle. I closed my eyes as the spirit of Ifrit entered my mind. Shuddering, I blinked open my eyes, just as a roar filled my head.

'Ifrit?'

'You are not Izzy.' He growled.

'Uh…'

Siren sighed loudly. 'You won't scare Natasha,' she said firmly, as she started to explain my situation to Ifrit.

'Thanks,' I mentally smiled at Siren, and tried to tune out their chatter.

The screen flashed bright blue before a brightly lit menu opened up. The options were highlighted in bright red boxes. "The Basics," "About Garden," "A Message from Garden," and the last option, "The School Festival Committee." Let's see… I touched the "About Garden" section, and a screen popped up with more options. I skipped over all the "rules" options, and touched the "Garden Info" icon. Three options popped up, "Balamb Garden," "Trabia Garden," and "Galbadia Garden." I clicked on all three in succession, but none had more than a blurb on where each Garden was located, and a mention of each headmaster.

I went back to the "About Garden" menu, this time clicking on the "SeeD info" tab.

"Balamb Garden's mercenaries… blah blah…operate all over the world… blah."

I went back to the main menu, and this time opened the tab labeled, "The Basics." Bingo! Excited, I clicked on the tab labeled "About Sorceresses and magic."

"A woman who has inherited the power of a sorceress. The origins go back to ancient times during Hyne's reign. However, no factual evidence exists."

That's it? I clicked the 'next' button at the bottom of the screen, but all that told me to do was look in the library for more information. I went back to the menu, and this time clicked on "Magic." There was a bit of information about how the magic human used was Para-magic…whatever that means. Frustrated, I clicked the 'back' button until I was on the main menu page again.

"Well, this was extremely helpful." I rolled my eyes, thinking of the lovely string of profanities I would probably never unleash.

"How many times have I told you that computer can't hear you?"

I yelped as a hand came down to rest on Izzy's desk. Looking up, my gaze met a pair of shimmering emerald eyes.

For a few moments I just stared at Alaric, too flustered to say anything. His chocolate-brown hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail today, and I noticed he was wearing a crisp looking SeeD uniform.

"Hey Izzy," he whispered, looking down at me with an unreadable expression.

I cleared my throat, remembering what I had read about him in Izzy's diary. "Uh, hi."

He motioned at the seat next to me. "Mind if I sit down?"

Oh jeez, this is gonna get extremely awkward. "Uh, sure." I patted the seat before looping Izzy's bag over my shoulder. "I was just leaving anyway." I stood up at the precise moment he sat down on the seat next to mine. I made to slide out of the booth-like table, but Alaric grabbed my arm to stop me.

I rolled my eyes and turned to him, sure that this is how Izzy would react. "Is this necessary? I really have to be somewhere," I said in the coldest voice I could muster.

His face fell and I felt a pang of guilt.

"I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes," he whispered in a strained voice.

Oh jeez. "Sorry," I answered, "I really have to go."

He eyes suddenly flashed with anger. "You can't give me two minutes of-"

"We'll talk later, I promise!" I smiled for good measure. Jeesh, what a creep! With that, I jerked my hand out of his grip and practically jogged to the door.

Smack! The wind was knocked out of me, and I took a step back to see Nida recovering from the collision.

He groaned and rubbed his chest.

"Sorry!"

He shook away my feeble apology and turned me around. "I'm glad you're here, I wanted to show you some-What?"

I loudly cleared my throat and nudged my head towards Alaric, who watched us intently from the front of the room. How did he get there so fast?

"Can I help you?" asked Alaric in slow, haughty drawl. "There's a class starting here in twenty minutes, and unless you're in it, you'll have to leave." He looked at me pointedly.

I wanted to ask him if we could stay for five minutes, but Nida dragged me away before I could so much as get a syllable out.

"I thought we needed the classroom!" I protested as Nida and I reached the bridge over Garden's first floor.

He nodded, "I wanted to show you Izzy's study panel."

"That would have taken five minutes!"

"I know, but we don't question an instructor. Do you want to get in trouble?"

I opened my mouth-

"Plus, it looks like you already got your other GFs." He leaned against the banister and crossed his arms.

I leaned next to him. "Wait, how do you know I did?"

Nida turned to face me, "Your eyes have the GF glow," he stated simply.

And now that I paid attention, his eyes were tinged with a greenish glow, which I remembered seeing on all the other SeeDs on the day of the exam.

I sighed and sat down on the floor. It's not a good thing that I'm starting to get used to being here. So far, being at Garden had been interesting, fun even, but the idea of everything becoming familiar scared me. Why isn't there any information about the sorceress? Every textbook that I'd looked through would mention Adel or other sorceresses, but no description had so far fit the one I was looking for. My dream theory was starting to seem more plausible, but that was the one I knew wasn't true.

Nida started talking, and it was only then I realized he'd sat down next to me. "-later by the classroom?"

I asked him to repeat himself.

He sighed, "I said I have to get to class, but can you meet me by the main classroom by two?"

I nodded quietly, wondering whether I should just leave Garden.

Nida waved as he jogged off to his class, and for a few moments I just stared after him, not knowing where I should go.

I guess I'll go back to the library.

The elevator door dinged open and I stepped out into the hallway. Just as I was turning into the library hallway, I heard two bickering voices.

"Seifer! You can't be serious!" Was that Quistis? I turned around slowly in time to see Seifer rush past me, followed promptly by Quistis.

She caught up to him and roughly turned him around with her hands. She's a lot stronger than she looks. I moved closer.

"If they actually think they can send Leonhart," he spat the name as if it was something nasty, "to Timber with those two losers-" he didn't finish his thought, but instead gave Quistis a look of pure hatred.

"If you think you're going to become some big hero, forget it." Quistis sneered, "You haven't even been able to pass the SeeD exam."

"Do you seriously think that matters?" he whispered so low, I didn't know if I heard him properly.

I tentatively stepped closer.

Seifer roughly shook himself free of Quistis' grasp, and stalked off down the hallway.

"Seifer!" Quistis didn't hesitate, and ran off after him.

I bit my lower lip. My gut was telling me to run after them, and I didn't like ignoring my instinct. Why would Seifer say being a SeeD didn't matter? It mattered everything to Garden students.

Ignoring the Siren's protesting words, I ran towards the Parking Lot, where the other two had disappeared.


	10. Dreams

"Listen to me Seifer, you can't go off on a SeeD mission!" I heard Quistis say as I lumbered unceremoniously through the glass door.

"Dear Instructor, what makes you think that you can stop me?" Seifer drawled at a frowning Quistis.

Then her expression changed from hateful to concerned, "for once in your life, Seifer, listen to me. This mission has nothing to do with you, and..." She sighed and looked away from him, and I couldn't hear what she said.

Seifer watched her with an expression that looked almost sad for a second. "Quistis, I have to go. This is my chance to fulfill my dream," he whispered.

His dream? And here I thought he was just a hateful jerk from hell.

"Seifer…" Quistis said in a tone that clearly said she didn't want to hear it.

Seifer whipped a hand in the air, as if batting an invisible fly. "Dammit, Trepe! I don't give a shit about SeeD or Garden. There's bigger things happening." He paused to sneer down at Quistis before continuing, "that bastard Deling has to go down."

"What in the world are you talking about?"

Seifer let out a dry laugh, and quickly looked around before lowering his voice.

I stepped closer, but his words just sounded like a jumble of hissing sounds. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I stepped dangerously close to the two.

"…might be a sorceress."

I nearly choked. Sorceress? I stepped out from the shadows and in Seifer's line of vision, but he was leaning towards Quistis and didn't seem to see me.

Quistis took a step back from Seifer, "How did you…"

"I have my sources," Seifer spat out before turning around with a swish of his coat, and walking up to the car rental counter.

I stepped next to Quistis, and lightly tapped her on the shoulder.

She abruptly turned around and her eyes widened upon seeing me. "What are you doing here Izzy?" suspicion was written all over her face.

I grimaced before answering her, "I couldn't help but overhear. What's going on?"

She shook her head. "Izzy, go back inside. This doesn't concern you." she narrowed her eyes sternly.

My heart sank, but I wouldn't give up. I was sure Seifer had mentioned a sorceress. "I, uh, heard Seifer say something about Timber." I took a deep breath before stuttering, "w-what's going on there?"

"Listen to me Izzy," she sounded as if she was trying hard to remain calm. "You can't come with us. Cid might send you on a mission and if you're not there-"

"My family lives there!" I suddenly yelled, then felt my face flush. "Uh, yeah. So if something's happening, I'm not gonna sit around and do nothing!" Please don't know where Izzy's family lives.

Quistis exhaled slowly and opened her mouth, but was cut off.

"What do you mean there's no more non-SeeD cars?" Seifer banged a fist on the counter and the attendant took a step back. Seifer looked livid, like a kid who has nothing but a lump of coal to look forward to on Christmas morning.

Quistis sent me a concerned look before running to Seifer's side.

"W-we can't issue SeeD cars to r-regular students." the poor kid behind the counter stuttered. He looked about ready to wet his pants.

Seifer put a hand to the hilt of his sheathed weapon, leering at the attendant in a sort of sadistic way. I felt my eyes bug out of my head, but the next moment Quistis put a hand around Seifer's arm to stop him. I shuddered, wondering how far Seifer was capable of taking his anger, and was glad that I stood safely out of his line of sight.

Quistis immediately sidestepped Seifer to talk to the attendant. "I'll be the one to operate it, then," she said in a fluid voice, as if it she just wanted to go for a leisurely joy ride. Seifer smirked like a lion on prowl as he watched Quistis grab the key from the attendant. She turned around, her gaze icy cold and posture rigid as she made her way through the door that led out into the area where the cars were parked.

I ran and hurled myself through the door from which the two blonds had disappeared. I knew I should probably have turned around and headed back to the classroom, where I knew Nida was expecting me to be, but there was no way I would give up this opportunity to find the sorceress.

"Hey!" I screamed at the two blonds, running at full speed to catch up. They turned around, Quistis with an annoyed sort or look on her face, and Seifer with mild surprise.

Quistis sighed as I fell into step beside her. "Izzy…"

"No. There's nothing you can say to get me to not come with you guys!" Geez, what's the big deal?

We got into the car in silence. Other than a bored look my way, Seifer ignored me. I shrugged and strapped myself into the backseat of the car. I hope I can find her in Timber. But what exactly would I do when I confronted the sorceress? My stomach rumbled. I hadn't thought this far. If the woman was powerful enough to send me to another world, what else was she capable of? Well, in any case, she's the only one who can send me back. I settled back in my seat. Whatever was going to happen would happen, and I could worry about the sorceress when I got to her.

Quistis revved the engine, and we burst through the large metal garage door. She sped off down the driveway and merged into the main road, which was labeled, 'Central Balamb Way.' Jeesh, if I had known what a psycho driver she is, I would have offered to drive. Not that it would have made a difference. Instead of focusing on the speed of Quistis's driving, I turned my attention to her and Seifer's fast-paced conversation.

"…think that Leonhart will be able to help her? Three rookie SeeDs… what were they thinking?" Seifer finished.

"They're fully trained, what makes you think you can do a better job?" Quistis spat with an exasperated frown.

Seifer glared at her as she turned her attention back on the road.

"Because Rin- I'm better for the job!"

Quistis whipped her head towards Seifer, "Rinoa? I should have known she would factor into this." She shook her head and turned her attention back to the road.

"Imagine her disappointment when she gets Puberty boy and chicken-wuss instead of me…"

Quistis remained silent, and through the rearview mirror I could see that her mouth was set in a tight straight line, as if she indeed had something to say, but she just wouldn't say it.

Seifer diverted his gaze ahead of him. "Still can't believe why they sent that chicken-wuss though…" he muttered to himself.

Quistis sighed with annoyance, and silence fell over the car. The tension was thick enough that I could probably slice it with a knife, and even then it wouldn't go away.

"Who's Rinoa?" I blurted out of genuine curiosity.

Seifer grunted, most likely out of annoyance.

Quistis met my gaze in the rearview mirror. She bit her lip, and sent Seifer a fleeting glance before answering, "She's Seifer's girl-"

Bang! Seifer brought a fist down into the dashboard.

Quistis shook her head again, sighed, and went back to glaring in front of her.

Seifer's girlfriend? Wait a minute, "So why was she dancing with Squall afterward?" I hadn't really directed the question at him, but the next moment Seifer turned to face me, looking absolutely livid.

"What the hell do you know about it?" he barked.

I sent him a bored look and waved a hand in the air. "Nothing, but if you ask me, dancing with some guy her boyfriend dislikes is pretty crappy girlfriend behaviour."

Seifer smirked and hissed, "Not that you'd know anything about girlfriend behaviour, prude." He turned around, and from where I sat, I couldn't see his expression.

I stared at the back of his head in surprise, not exactly knowing how to react to that. From what I had read in Izzy's diary, she didn't seem like a prude. She secretly went out with a teacher for goodness sakes! I shrugged, did I really need to care about what Seifer thought of Izzy? Nope.

Soon enough, we reached the quaint little arched entryway of Balamb town. Quistis drove through the arch and turned the car towards the right, into the fairly empty indoor parking lot. Before she could properly park the car, Seifer hurtled out his seat and slammed the door behind him.

Quistis quickly turned the car off, shoved the key in her pocket, and stepped out the same time I did. "Well, let's go," she said to me.

I nodded and followed her as she jogged off after Seifer. I wondered why we were stopping in Balamb. Wasn't Seifer in a hurry to get to that Timber place? Whatever, they know where they're going.

We jogged through the town, and ten minutes later, caught up to Seifer. He was just walking up to a kiosk that said 'Tickets' over the top in blocky letters. He barely acknowledged us as we stepped up beside him and faced the short, pretty woman standing in the kiosk.

"Hi!" she greeted.

"Can I get three tickets to Timber?" Quistis asked kindly. She handed the girl her Balamb ID, which I noticed was said 'instructor' instead of 'student.'

The ticket girl smiled, and handed Quistis her card back, along with three train tickets. No money? "The train will arrive in about an hour," she said, and waved as Quistis hastily stepped away from the booth.

"Sweet! Instructors get free train tickets?" I beamed at Quistis.

She nodded curtly, and looked down rather guiltily. "Just one of the perks," she whispered before shoving one of the tickets in my hand.

Weird. I shrugged and slipped the ticket in my pocket.

We made our way up the stairs that led into the train station. We crossed the turnstiles and stepped onto the single train platform. Odd, I thought, shouldn't there be more than one track? But then, Balamb was a pretty small town, and I didn't think many trains passed by it. The lone, napping security guard was proof enough.

"Let's wait over there," Quistis gestured to a bench that sat against the opposite wall. I nodded at her before we headed to the bench. Quistis sat down first and leaned back. She looked exhausted, and it was only still morning. I sat down beside her on the hard surface, just now realizing that I had followed the two teenagers because of a single mention of the word sorceress. How did I even know that Seifer had been telling the truth? What did he even say about her? I suddenly felt a chill overtake me. What exactly was I getting myself into?

'Natasha,' Siren suddenly piped up.

I drew in a shaking breath, ready for an extreme tongue-lashing. After all, I had been ignoring her throughout the car ride. 'Hey, Siren.'

She sighed in a tired sort of way. 'Well I'm glad you're not ignoring me anymore.'

I smiled sheepishly. 'Sorry.'

There was a silence, during which I hoped that she wasn't too angry.

'Do you have any idea what you're up against, trying to go after a sorceress?'

My stomach knotted. 'No, Siren, I don't.'

Suddenly, I heard Ifrit let out an exasperated growl. 'Foolish mortal. Sorceresses are power-hungry and merciless. You don't stand a chance against them.'

My heart sank. What was I doing? A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of never being able to get home, but not because I couldn't find a way, but because of getting killed.

'Give it a rest, Ifrit.' Siren scolded. 'You're terrifying her.'

'I'm just telling her what she needs to hear,' he answered.

'Look, I have to try. Unlike you guys, I didn't choose to leave my world.' I was angry with Siren. It was bad enough I felt helpless, but she could at least have been a little supportive.

'Hey, I want you to get home as much as you do. I just hope you understand that it will be dangerous to go head to head against a sorceress.' She paused, thinking hard about what to say. 'But you should also know that we'll be with you along the way.'

Ifrit grunted, and I supposed that meant he agreed, albeit a little apprehensively. Regardless, I felt a surge of hope. Then something else occurred to me. Someone else had been willing to help me. I groaned, remembering that I was supposed to meet Nida in the library.

"Hey, Quistis."

She turned to me and blinked, as if she had just snapped out of a daze. "Yes?"

"Would you know all the new SeeDs' weekly schedules by any chance?"

She scrutinized me for a few painful seconds, and then replied, "No, new schedules are posted at the beginning of every week. Why?" Her eyes were full of suspicion and confusion.

I nodded. "I just thought since you're an instructor..." I grinned, hoping that she would believe me.

She shook her head. "I'm no longer an instructor, I'm a regular SeeD now." She kept her gaze in front of her.

"Oh..."

Quistis turned to me, "Who's schedule do you want to know?"

"Um, Nida's," I reluctantly met her gaze and continued, "I sort of promised him I would meet him after his class, but well, uh…" I scratched the back of my head.

"You followed us instead," she finished for me. Her eyes suddenly turned cold. "So what's the real reason you did?"

My breath caught in my throat and I looked away from her burning gaze. "Because-" I squeaked.

"I know your family is Galbadian, Izzy, so what are you hiding?" her voice was calm and collected, but there was a commanding tone behind it, which clearly meant I better tell the truth.

I sighed before answering flatly, "I heard Seifer mention something." I looked her straight in the eyes before continuing, "Sorceress. I had to find out more."

She sucked in a sharp breath.

"Does he know about a sorceress?"

She stared at me, her expression becoming less cold. "I honestly don't know," she whispered with a shake of her head.

I sighed and leaned back in my seat, still feeling Quistis's eyes on me.

"But you had heard about a sorceress before that." It wasn't a question. I met her gaze, sure that mine showed shock. Man, how the hell does she know everything?

I muttered the first thing that came to my head, "my parents mentioned that there was a sorceress in, um, Timber." I invented, watching her carefully. "But that's about it, and when I heard Seifer mention what he did, I had to find out for myself." I held her gaze, my heart hammering in my chest, and hoped that I didn't sound ludicrous.

Finally, after a full, agonizing minute, Quistis took her eyes off me. She leaned back into the bench, and I let out the breath I had been holding.

"It figures," she whispered. "Your father is in President Deling's circle. He wouldn't have any trouble finding these things out."

Huh, so Izzy's parents are some big shots. I wondered why Nida hadn't given me information such as this. I mean, it was important for me to know things like these, and all Nida had told me just showed me that he missed Izzy. I shook my head. No. It's not his fault he likes his friend and wants to talk about how great she is.

Besides that, it seemed that the sorceress was up to bigger things than sending me to this world and back. Then why did she send me here? Had she even meant to? Most importantly, did she even know what exactly she had done, switching my body with someone else's?

I shakily grabbed a lock of my hair and started tugging on it. My heart clenched with dread. If she was going around in public, that probably meant she had goonies or something with her, messing things up and causing trouble. This was going to be so much more difficult than I had originally anticipated. What the hell am I going to do without Nida?

I took a few long, shaky breaths to calm myself down. There was no way I was giving up. I had to get home, and if that meant getting hurt along the way, so be it. I absently watched Seifer pacing next to the empty track, his hand resting gently on the hilt of his sword. It was a little amusing to see how worked up he was. I supposed I would be too if I was in his situation.

"So what's the deal with Seifer, Rinoa, and Squall?" I asked Quistis suddenly, trying to lighten the mood.

She turned to me in surprise, as if I just shook her from her thoughts. A smile broke over her face as she realized what I had just asked her. "Rinoa is Seifer's girlfriend. Squall doesn't know her," her smile faltered slightly, "but she kind of dragged him on the dance floor at the party."

"Ah." I giggled. "No wonder Seifer was all bunched up when he talked about Squall going to help her instead of him."

She frowned, "It's not really to help her that he went. Headmaster Cid sent them on a SeeD mission that just happens to include Rinoa."

The look on her face made me wipe the smile off my face. It was a sad, faraway kind of look, identical to the one she wore when Squall had blown her off last night. I'm obviously missing something.

"Well, that explains why Seifer was so pissed this morning."

Quistis looked like she wanted to say something, but a loud beeping sound cut her off. "THE TRAIN TO TIMBER WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY. PLEASE HAVE YOUR TICKETS READY. I REPEAT, THE TRAIN TO TIMBER WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY. THANK YOU." Beep.

We both got up off the bench and walked up to the platform, where a blue electrical engine was just pulling in. Seifer extended his hand at Quistis and she handed him his ticket.

"Wha-" the guard was shaken awake by the grinding sound of the train coming to a full stop. He looked at the three of us tiredly before his eyes went wide with realization. "Oh! May I see your tickets?" He extended a hand. Seifer was the first to hand over his ticket. The guard stamped it and handed it back to Seifer, with a monotonous "have a good trip."

After our tickets had been stamped, I followed Quistis up the set of metal steps and into the train. The train car was spacious and wide, without seats or even poles to hold on to.

"Er, shouldn't there be seats or belts or something?" I asked.

Quistis turned to me with a warm smile. "We're not going to ride in here." she walked over to the door to the right side of the one we had entered, and held up her SeeD ID card to a little reader by it. With a beep and a click, the door slid open. "This is the first time either of you are entering the SeeD car, isn't it?"

Ok, I was excited by the way she grinned, and I pretty much skipped to the door. I followed Quistis as she walked through yet another door on our right, with Seifer right behind me.

"Oooh!" I squealed. I couldn't help it. The SeeD cabin was beautiful. There was a full-sized bunk bed on the far right corner, covered in expensive-looking down comforters. Next to the bed sat a plush-looking leather sofa that curved around to cover an entire corner. Two blinds-covered windows were on the walls above the couch, surrounded by royal coloured walls that matched the grand rug, which was strategically placed smack dab in the center of the room. I walked over to the other end of the room, where a mini-fridge sat near a small table with a microwave on it. Beside it was a narrow door with a bathroom sign on it. I'd never seen a train this nice.

Grinning, I turned to Quistis. She now stood in the middle of the room, her hands crossed gently in front of her chest. "This is what I call luxury!" I turned back and opened the fridge. It was packed with soft drinks, fruit, and snacks. I grabbed a bright red can and crossed the room to perch myself on the bed. A hiss was heard as I sat down on the soft mattress.

"Simple things amuse simple minds," drifted Seifer's voice from the other end of the room.

I ignored him, put my feet up and leaned back onto a mound of feather-soft pillows.

"Try to relax a little, we're going to be here for a while," said Quistis. I turned my face toward her and nodded. She was now sitting on the other side of the couch, trying her best to ignore Seifer's angry face. He probably didn't want to wait too long. Whatever.

I shrugged and popped open my can of 'Balamb Delight', and brought it to my lips. Hmm. The drink was cool and sweet and tasted like an extremely carbonated version of Pepsi. "Man, I could live on this stuff!" I chugged another humongous sip and turned towards the other two, propping my head on my elbow. "So what's with the Squall-hate?"

Seifer turned to me, looking slightly surprised, "What would you know about it?" he sneered.

I rolled my eyes and fake-yawned. "Oh please, you can drop the asshole act," I said nonchalantly, and then muttered, "Jeez, it was only a question."

He stared at me with a conflicted sort of expression, like he wanted to punch me, but was amused at the same time. I figured he wasn't used to people standing up to him. Whatever. I had spent a good portion of my youth being teased and bullied because I had been an overweight kid; so learning to ignore jerks wasn't something new to me.

"I don't hate the guy," Seifer suddenly said. "I just keep proving that I'm better than him."

I nearly choked on my drink. Wow, he's actually serious. Instead, I asked, "Why?" I propped myself up so that I could meet his eyes better. "Wouldn't it just be easier if you guys were friends? You know, engage in some healthy friendly competition?" I hadn't meant to delve into the matter, but it just sounded so exhausting that he was always competing with Squall.

Seifer watched me for a few seconds with an unreadable expression before replying, "Because then I wouldn't have a rival to show up to," he said in a matter-of-fact way.

"And wouldn't life be so much simpler for all of us if that were the case?" Quistis spoke for the first time. She had been watching us converse with amusement, and a knowing sort of glint in her eyes.

I covered up a yawn with my hand. "Yeah, no wonder the kid walks around with a stick up his ass. He has Seifer harassing him at every corner."

Seifer's reaction was absolutely hilarious. He gaped at me, his mouth opened in shock. Beside him, Quistis shook her head, but she had a smile on her face.

I smiled sheepishly. "Heh, I just mean that he's unnaturally uptight." I scratched the back of my head, wondering if Izzy ever spoke so crudely. Judging from Seifer's smirking face, probably not.

"He just needs to get laid!" Seifer waved a hand in the air, and then leaned back into the couch with his hands behind his head. Quistis looked shocked. I wanted to agree, but what did I know about Squall's dating habits?

No more was said on the topic, thankfully. I chugged the last of my drink and set it down on the bedside table. Leaning back further into the pillows, I could feel my body start to relax. I'm so tired. I wasn't used to waking up at the crack of dawn, or living off three hours of sleep for that matter. I yawned and closed my eyes. What would I say to the sorceress when I had to confront her? I turned over and faced the wall. Would she actually be able to send me back home? What about Izzy? I took in a deep breath. Can I worry about that later? The bed was extremely comfortable, and I was so sleepy…

At first, the dream was as nonsensical and convoluted as the plot of that soap opera my mom used to watch, Passions or something.

A playground. I watched Squall and Seifer fist fight from my place on top of the monkey bars. They seemed to be fighting over Rinoa, who looked like Quistis with black hair. She sat on a swing, occasionally yawning at the two overly aggressive guys. I shook my head. Boys were ridiculous.

Then everything blacked out; darkness, oppressive and menacing, overtook my senses. I blinked, but smell returned first, bringing the stench of burning machinery. I coughed. Where am I? Something warm and sticky was pasted on my cheeks and wrapped around my neck, and I impatiently brushed it away, only to realize that it was my sweat-soaked hair. My head throbbed and my vision was nothing more than a dark blur. What happened to my glasses? There was something white and large in front of me that obstructed my movement and vision. I groaned and tried to push it away. Airbag?

My heart hammering, I looked around frantically as I deflated the airbag. Something tight and rough was strapped over my shoulder; with shaking hands, I unbuckled the seatbelt.

Sitting next to me was a blurry shadow. My heart stopped as I realized that it wasn't moving. "Noah!" I flung the seatbelt off of me and grabbed his shoulders. "Noah!" I sobbed out, shaking him with more force than was necessary.

With a weak groan that sent shivers down my spine, Noah stirred. "Nata?" he whispered. His voice was thin and scratchy sounding.

"We need to get out of here!" I screamed, and his head snapped up. I squinted my eyes, but my vision was blurry and my head felt like it would explode.

I heard Noah unbuckle his seatbelt. "What happened?" his voice was still hoarse, and he suddenly groaned. "Oww, my head," he muttered.

I let out a shaky breath as I remembered. "We fell off the side of the highway," I answered flatly. "A truck – a truck hit us and I didn't swerve in time." I moaned and banged my head on the air bag covered steering wheel.

Noah patted my shoulder. "There, there sis, not everyone can be a driver." He sounded like he was smirking.

I turned on him. "The truck hit us from behind, you idiot! I had no time to spin away from the curb!" How could he joke around at a time like this?

Through the darkness, I could see him put his hands up defensively. "Okay, okay," he muttered something else about 'that time of the month,' but I ignored him.

"We need to get out of here." I unlocked my door with some difficulty, but no matter how much I pushed on it, it didn't budge. I groaned loudly, feeling tears of frustration well up in my eyes.

"What's the matter?" Noah called from outside his open door.

"My door won't budge." I tentatively lifted myself up and reached around the car in order to clear a way for myself. "I'm gonna get out from your door. Man, I can't see a thing."

There was no response. "Noah?" I called out.

"Oh shit… I don't think you should see this, Natasha!" his voice sounded like it was coming from the other side of the car.

"Is it that bad?" I squeaked out. Great, I just got my license and look what happens. I inched my way across the seats, which was rather difficult to do with my legs wedged between the steering wheel and driver's seat. I managed to break free and crawled out, landing softly on the grass. I stood up nimbly, trying not to hurt myself. "Noah?" I called again.

No answer. "Hey, how bad is it?" I yelled, coughing as the smell of burnt rubber invaded my nostrils.

Suddenly, the air became frigid with a wind that appeared out of nowhere. It's the middle of July, for goodness sakes! I limped forward. Why wasn't he answering me? "Noah, I swear to God…"

A loud groan shut me up.

I stumbled blindly towards where I had heard the sound. He didn't answer.

"Silence!" a velvety voice, belonging to a woman whose outline I could faintly see not far from where Noah stood.

"Noah?" my voice trembled with fear as I blindly stepped toward the shadows.

Another groan, and I could see Noah struggle and gesture wildly.

A white light, then silence.

My hands were tightly clasped onto something soft and fleshy. I ripped my eyes open and jerked myself up with such force that a few pillows went tumbling to the ground and landed in a heap. Sweat-soaked hair was pasted to my face and I was desperately sucking in air through my constricted throat.

"Izzy!" I looked up into a pair of pale blue eyes that were narrowed in pain. What the…? I immediately unclasped my hand from around Seifer's wrist, and he roughly stood up. I watched him with wide eyes, not quite able to register what was going on. Tears were running down my face, and I frantically looked around the room. I was in the SeeD cabin on the train to Timber.

"What's wrong with you?" The voice was sharp.

I looked up. Seifer was watching me intently, clearly freaked out as he rubbed his wrist. It was covered in bright pink fingernail marks.

I stood up abruptly and wiped the tears from my face. "What happened?" I choked out.

"You were screaming and kicking in your sleep," Seifer answered flatly, "it looked pretty shitty so I tried to wake you up, but you grabbed onto my wrist really tightly." He still looked creeped out, and stepped back to sit down heavily on the couch, still rubbing his wrist.

Quistis was nowhere to be seen.

I watched him numbly, feeling a lump forming in my throat. "Sorry," I whispered as I turned around and shoved myself into the bathroom. Without turning on the light, I leaned over the sink and took several deep breaths.

The tap spit out a generous amount of water before it slowed into a steady stream. I watched it blankly for a few seconds before cupping my hands under it and shoving the water into my mouth. Next I slapped a handful on my face, and carefully turned the faucet off.

I looked up into the mirror, only mildly surprised to see Izzy's face. Her ice-blue eyes stared back at me, red rimmed and bruised-looking. Her skin was ghost pale and I stared. How long have I kept that memory buried? It had been two years since the accident, and during those two years I had successfully shoved the accident in the dark corners of my mind, not once thinking about it. A shudder passed through me.

I stared at Izzy's beautiful blue eyes as they watered and finally spilled over. My arms buckled on the sink as the tears ran silently down my face. Noah… why didn't you run away?

I couldn't take it anymore. Sobs burst from my mouth as tears spilled freely from my eyes. My heart clenched, and I suddenly felt ice cold. I wrapped my arms around myself and sank to the floor against the closed door.

Noah didn't deserve to be remembered this way, all cold and dead. For two years, two fucking years, I had not once thought about the accident. He would have been twenty-two this year… I shook my head so violently that my hair whipped the side of my neck. No. I wouldn't think about what would and should be. Instead, my mind wandered to the scene I had just witnessed. I thought I forgot about the accident… My memory was fuzzy, but all I remembered was a crash, and then waking up in the hospital. My stomach clenched and unclenched, so what the hell was this dream all about? The shadows, and a silvery voice...

I suddenly sat upright, feeling all the blood drain from my face. The sorceress! I was sure of it. The cold, velvety voice, the air around her ice-cold, and all of a sudden something fit into place; she knew me because she had seen me before… when she killed my brother! More shivers overtook me as anger reached around my heart and squeezed it in an icy grip. Was this just a dream or a memory? It felt so real… as if I was experiencing it over again. I squeezed my eyes shut, blocking off the fresh tears that lingered within them. Was the dream just a dream? Or was I remembering something? I squeezed my eyes tighter and tried to remember that night, to look part the blurs in my memory.

"Ow!" I put my hands up to my temples, messaging the shooting pain that started there. It hurt to try and remember. So what was up with the dream? I let out a shaking breath and stood up. Was that a memory, or just something I imagined because I was thinking about the sorceress? Worse yet, was someone or something messing with my mind?

'Natasha…' Siren's voice came steady and clear through the stray thoughts.

I looked up into the mirror again and started fixing Izzy's hair. 'I'm not going to break down, Siren,' I answered stiffly.

'Oh, sweetie.' My heart clenched at her words, and I instantly felt my eyes prickle. She sounded just like my mother. I was suddenly overtaken by a wave of nausea, but my stomach was empty and nothing came out. I leaned into the sink and sobbed, letting tears run down my face again. I missed home and I missed my friends. Hell, a part of me even missed school.

'Who'd have thought I would miss writing exams and essays?' I grinned weakly. And suddenly, miraculously, a warm feeling spread through my body. It started as just a spark, but I felt it grow and engulf my entire body in its warmth. Siren and Ifrit remained quiet, but I could feel their presence. I reached a shaking hand to my forehead. Are they mentally hugging me?

When they didn't answer, I wiped the tears away and splashed another handful of cold water on my face. There's only one thing I have to focus on. My head spun with questions, but I pushed them aside. I took one more look into the mirror, screwed up my face so that it looked relatively calm, then stepped out of the cramped bathroom.

"Oh good, you're ready," Quistis greeted me. "We'll be reaching Timber soon." She started to smile, but it turned into a frown of concern. "Are you okay?"

I smiled at her in strained sort of way. "Yup."

She nodded, her face still masked in concern, but didn't say anything else. I made my way over to the couch next to Seifer. He was watching me with from the corner of his eye, and as I sat down, he turned his face towards mine.

"What happened to you?"

Despite myself, I grinned, "Wow, how nice of you to care Seifer."

He rolled his eyes. "I was just asking." Well, he did look more curious than concerned.

I sighed and leaned back into the couch with a hiss of leather. "It was just a bad dream. I get nightmares sometimes," I looked up to see him watching me with an expression I couldn't read. "Sorry about nearly lacerating your arm, by the way."

He watched me with that same expression before waving a hand in the air dismissively (with a gulp I noticed that it was bruised with fingernail marks.) "It's nothing. I've just never seen someone that fucked up while sleeping."

"Izzy, you should probably talk to Dr. Kadowski about your nightmares," said Quistis.

I looked up at her and smiled again. "Thanks, I'll do that." Goodness my head hurts.

Beep. "WE ARE NOW ARRIVING AT TIMBER. THANK YOU." Beeeep!

"Finally!" roared Seifer, and abruptly got up and zoomed out the door, his large coat flapping around him.

I looked at Quistis who was watching the boy with an exasperated frown.

"Shall we go?"

She nodded and stepped out of the door. When the train came to a complete stop and the doors hissed open, Seifer was the first one to go bounding down the steps. Instead of stopping at the bottom like a nice gentleman, he took off down the street.

"Seifer!" yelled Quistis as she charged after him.

I groaned loudly and followed them. And here I wanted to take a look around.

We jogged through the town, whipping past shocked and annoyed people. I sent apologies flying behind me as I followed the two down a cobblestone alley. We crossed a bridge that hung over some train tracks, and kept running towards a street lined with various business buildings.

Seifer suddenly stopped in his tracks in front of a building labeled 'Timber Maniacs.' I bent over to catch my breath. It felt like my lungs were on fire, and a stitch at my side caused me to buckle. "What the hell!" I yelled, but Seifer ignored me. He was looking around the town square, muttering to himself.

"That way!" he screamed, and ran off down the street. I was starting to believe he had gone crazy.

Without a word, Quistis and I followed him through the square. We finally reached a set of cobblestone stairs, where Seifer had already descended. The stairs led down to a run down building with a giant neon sign that said 'PUB' in glaring scarlet letters. Quistis and I followed Seifer into the noisy, smelly pub and stopped.

"Where did he go?" I asked Quistis. We looked around to catch a sight of a white trench coat, but didn't see Seifer anywhere. Of course, it didn't help that it was dark and noisy, mostly because of a big screen television that hung on one of the walls.

"There's a door at the other end. Lets go!" She pointed to the door for a second before crossing the bar and shoving herself through it. I followed her out into yet another alley (complete with passed out drunk.)

We soon reached a set of thin metal stairs that led up to what must have been a TV station. There was a ginormous television screen propped up on the outer wall of the building. I gaped at the blank screen for what must have been too long, because the next moment Quistis was clambering her the stairs with a clunk clunk at every step.

"Wait!" I screamed, and stepped on the stairs. But she didn't hear me and kept running up. With a groan I followed her.

The stairs ended to merge into a metal walkway that led around the building. Without hesitation, I followed Quistis as she disappeared through the farther door at the end of the walkway. I hurled myself through the door.

The room itself looked like a studio of some sort, with television equipment scattered haphazardly on the floor. It was rather cramped, with a flight of stairs leading up to a an area blocked off by heavy curtains, like a stage or something. I couldn't help but get a bad gut feeling about it, like something horrible was waiting to pounce behind there. The room was suspiciously empty, but I could hear faint sounds coming from the hallway that led off to another, unseen room.

"They've started," Seifer declared.

"Seifer, this is by far the stupidest thing you're doing!" Quistis was staring at him with tired exasperation, as if she was used to trying to stop him from stirring trouble.

He ignored her and sauntered closer to the hallway, one hand on the hilt of his gunblade, ready for whoever would stumble upon us. I shuddered suddenly, sure that Seifer wouldn't hold back hurting someone so we wouldn't get caught… or even killing them.

Quistis sent me a look that plainly said, "we shouldn't be here." I tried to grin nonchalantly, but was pretty sure it looked more like a grimace. The truth was, this room had an unexplainable chill to it, like in horror movies where you know a character is walking to their death.. I couldn't shake the dread that was settling itself in my chest. Why was the studio empty? Something didn't add up.

'This was a bad idea…' Siren said softly, and to my surprise, Ifrit grunted with approval. I gulped and ignored the GFs, even though I agreed with them. We walked the length of the hallway silently, as voices carried over from the other room.

"...trifling problems standing between Galbadia and the rest of the world, and they must be resolved."

I leaned over to get a better look. From where I stood, I could see an aged man in a power suit standing in front of a dark wooden podium. He spoke into about a million microphones. Around him stood a few guards in blue uniforms. I leaned in closer to listen to his speech.

"Allow me to introduce the ambassador who will be my representative..."

"Bastard!" Seifer screamed, and before either Quistis or I could react, Seifer unsheathed his sword and lumbered towards the man.

There was no time to react, and I watched with horror as a uniformed soldier tried to grab Seifer. But before the soldier had gotten too close, Seifer raised his sword and swiped. I put a hand on my mouth, holding back a scream, as the soldier buckled. Only his mouth was visible beneath the helmet that covered most of his face, and it was ripped open in a silent scream. It was like I was watching a slow-motion scene in a slasher movie, and I couldn't make a movement as the soldier put his hands on his chest, trying desperately to stop the flow of blood that seeped through his uniform. His body shook, and I felt a sudden urge to stand next to him and tell him that he was going to a better place as he died in a horrible, blood-filled way.

The next moment, however, all thoughts of the soldier were gone, as an unnatural chill overtook me. I shuddered as a feeling of dread crawled up my body. Someone or something sighed from behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge and I abruptly turned around. It's nothing.

'Something's terribly wrong,' said Ifrit in a voice that showed only a hint of fear. I shuddered again, because if Ifrit had an ounce of fear, it meant I should be terrified.

I looked up at the curtain suspiciously, sure that I heard something from behind it. My stomach knotted with fear, but I ignored it and stepped closer to the curtain.

The edge of the curtain parted momentarily. I put a hand over my mouth. Was that the sorceress? I climbed up the stairs, my heart hammering in my chest, as if protesting against me with all its might.

'Natasha… don't.'

I ignored Siren's warning, along with the fact that both GFs were now preparing my junctions, as if for battle.

Raising deft fingers to the velvet, I opened the curtain just enough to be able to peek inside with one eye. She stood facing in my direction, but her eyes were on a piece of paper in her pointy-gloved hands. She looked different, but she emanated the same chill, the same power. Her face showed no emotion. She wore a tight black dress with a plunging, fur rimmed neckline, and had she not been frightening, I would have thought she was beautiful.

My breath stopped. She looked up from the piece of paper in her hands and her eyes met mine. They were just as cold and vacant as I remembered, only worse, because she was physically present, not shifting as a ghost.

I dropped the curtain back in place and stumbled backwards, hoping against hope that she wouldn't come out of her place. Shivers racked my body. What was I thinking going after her?

Several voices snapped me out of my daze. I turned around, but the room was empty; I could hear Seifer's voice from the other room. Without hesitation, I ran toward the hallway. Screw getting caught. I wanted to put a hell's amount of distance between the sorceress and myself.


	11. Consternation

Blind adrenaline coursed through my veins as I turned around and ran the opposite way, tripping over stairs and fumbling over video equipment as I stumbled my way through the room that seemed to stretch on forever.

Only when I reached the hallway did I stop to breathe properly again.

What the hell did she just do to me? I put my hands on my knees and heaved. I was vaguely aware of commotion happening in the speech room, but I knew I was out of sight of anyone who might be in there. The icy fear that had gripped my insides couldn't be shaken; I trembled as I straightened myself up and wrapped my arms around myself. What now?

I had to go back in there, where the sorceress stood behind that curtain. Was she the same woman? Were there more sorceresses than the one who had brought me here? My heart thumped uncomfortably and a dull throbbing started up in my temples. What had I gotten myself into?

"You've just signed Garden's death warrant," a strained voice, followed by a groan of pain.

"Shut your Goddamn mouth!" was that Seifer?

I backed up flat against the wall, wishing I could melt against it, as Seifer dragged the power suit man into the hallway.

Seifer had his giant sword-gun held up against the man's throat, and uncertain desperation was written all over his face. This was most likely the president. Would Seifer actually kill him?

A shudder snaked through my body, but as if automatically, I followed them back into the equipment room. If they distracted the sorceress, maybe I could get to her unnoticed. And maybe during the commotion, the man can escape unharmed. I bit my lower lip. I would have to tackle her down or something.

Seifer pulled the man up the steps onto the stage-like, curtained area, where I knew the sorceress was waiting. Surely she would hear the struggle?

I sneaked after them, trying to remain inconspicuous. The man now was trying to struggle wordlessly out of Seifer's grasp.

As I reached the shadows of the velvet curtain, a heady scent drifted through the room, as if someone was lighting incense. The air seemed to stagnate with a blunt, eerie chill that had nothing to do with faulty air conditioning.

Seifer and the man stopped struggling, and I could see Seifer's head whipping to and fro.

I gulped.

"Poor, poor boy." The silvery voice seeped out and sent a shiver down my spine.

The sorceress glided out from behind the curtains. I instinctively shifted further out of her line of sight, but it seemed she only had eyes for Seifer.

For a few seconds, Seifer and the president seemed frozen. Seifer's grip on his sword loosened, but the president seemed too dazed to escape.

The sorceress stepped forward.

"Stay away from me!" Seifer screamed and tightened his grip. The tremble in his voice betrayed that he was scared shitless.

The sorceress sneered and sauntered closer. "Such a confused little boy," she taunted, "Are you going to step forward, retreat? You have to decide."

I stared at her. Her complete attention was on Seifer now; she didn't seem to care at all about the president who had a giant knife to his throat.

I gulped and tiptoed closer, vaguely aware of the click click of footsteps in the background. I tried to stay inconspicuous, but the next moment her eyes traveled over to my trembling form, and she let out a dry, hollow laugh. I froze, gaping at her as she threw one arm in the air.

A flash of white! All my senses became incapacitated. My ears rang with a deafening silence. Vision was nothing but an encompassing white light, and I couldn't make a sound as my body became numb. What the hell is going on?

As soon as it had started, everything ended. I stood up, how did I even get on the floor? and looked around. Quistis stood on the other end of the room, seeming as dazed as I felt, and behind her were Squall, Zell, and Selphie.

Wait a minute! "Where did she go?" I screamed, and before waiting for an answer, I tumbled towards the curtains once more. I frantically pushed aside the velvet drapes, trying in vain to find the woman who had seemingly disappeared. Behind the curtains was the rest of the stage, which was filled with dark shapes.

The sounds of footsteps were heard, and I roughly turned around, but it was only a girl I didn't recognize. She looked around the room, her brows furrowed. "Where's Seifer?" I heard her ask, but I had already turned back to the curtains. They couldn't have gone very far.

I slid between two curtains, squinting my eyes to see through the darkness. It smelled musty, like dust had been settling here for ages, and I let out a cough. Where the hell did she go?

"Ahh!" I jumped as a hand came to rest on my shoulder.

"Izzy, what are you doing?"

I turned around, my heart thumping in my chest, to face Quistis. Her eyes were narrowed in confusion.

"Did you see where she went?" I asked her.

"Who? That woman? Seifer's disappeared too." She whipped her head around the dark room. "I don't think he's here," she whispered more to herself than me.

"Not Seifer! The sorceress!"

Quistis suddenly took a step back, gaping at me like I had just said something shocking.

I opened my mouth to elaborate, but the next moment Squall poked his head inside the curtain. "What are you doing?" he asked.

I growled and shoved my way around Quistis and Squall. Didn't they understand that we were in an urgent situation? I strode through the room and down into the hallway, feeling at least three pairs of eyes on me. I didn't care. I had to find her. She was my only hope of getting home, and there was no way in hell that I was going to miss my chance.

"Izzy, what are you doing?" Rough hands grabbed my arm and spun me around. "Who did you see?"

"The sorceress! How did you miss her? She came out of the curtains over there," I pointed to the precise spot on the stage, "and then she was talking to Seifer."

"What were you doing there?" this time it was Squall. He watched me suspiciously. I looked behind him at Zell and Selphie, both with identical confused looks on their faces. Beside them stood a black-haired girl, but she didn't look confused at all.

"Wait," said Quistis. She put a hand to her chin and scrunched her face, "I saw her too. It makes sense, she was the new ambassador about to be announced. But-" she shook her head gently, as if trying to clear her thoughts.

"She did something so you wouldn't be able to move, or hear, or talk, right?" I watched Quistis as her expression went from scrunched to understanding.

"Yes." Quistis put a hand on her mouth. "Did she take Seifer with her?"

I shrugged.

"Where did she go?" Selphie asked.

I shook my head. "All I know is that she's the only one who can send me back home."

All eyes turned to me and I froze. Shit…

"What are you talking about Izzy?" Quistis voiced the question that was written on everyone's face.

I sighed, and decided that I would have to tell the truth. "I'm not-"

But I was cut off by a loud banging noise coming from the other room. Faint voices could be heard, followed by footsteps.

"We need to get the hell out of here!" Zell suddenly hollered, and he led the way out through the debris of lighting equipment and burst through the door, the two girls and Squall at his tow.

I hesitated, wanting desperately to search the other room, but Quistis grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the hallway. I tried to wrench free of her vice-like grip, but she was stronger than she looked, and successfully dragged me through the metal door.

"Quistis, you don't understand!" I yanked my arm out of her grip.

She whipped around. Her eyes burned with rage and I shrank under her fiery gaze. "No, Izzy! You don't understand!" She took a deep breath before continuing, "Those Galbadian soldiers are after SeeD! Seifer threatened the president of Galbadia, and who the hell do you think is going to pay for it?"

I stared at her blankly. What the hell did I care what Seifer did?

"I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but I suggest you start acting like you belong in SeeD." She said the last part in a calm voice, but a voice that was filled with venom.

I let out the breath I had been holding. "Listen to me, Quistis. I'm not-"

"Hey! What are you guys waiting for?"

I turned sharply at the sound of Selphie's voice. She stood on the other end of the walkway, gesturing wildly for us to follow her.

"We'll continue this later," spat Quistis, before promptly turning around and running off down the walkway. I followed her silently, half feeling like a chastised kid, and partly feeling angry because the tongue-lashing wasn't directed at me. My stomach clenched, but I had to get this over with. I needed to find the sorceress, and if I had to be alone to do it, then fine. I shuddered suddenly. Could I handle being alone?

We reached the bottom of the stairs, where stood a metal fence that I now noticed blocked off the TV station area from the rest of the town. Quistis and I joined the rest of the group, and I noticed the black-haired girl was standing there looking rather depressed.

"What's wrong?" Quistis asked.

The girl clutched a lock of her dark hair, like she was trying not to burst into tears. "They found our base," she choked out, "it's completely destroyed."

"What about everyone else?" asked Selphie.

The girl turned to her, "They're fine. They're good at escaping." She smiled sadly, and then turned around and walked out through the gate. I saw the four SeeDs share a look as they followed the girl out. What the?

I nudged Zell, who was walking the closest to me, and asked, "What's going on? Who is that girl?"

Without answering, he turned to me and I noticed his eyes were blank. His face was drained of colour and he was slouching. He looked awful.

I narrowed my eyes. "Are you okay?"

He didn't answer, but just stared at me blankly, as if he hadn't comprehended my words.

"We have to stay away from Timber for a while." I looked ahead to see that the group had stopped walking. The black-haired girl was watching Squall expectantly, and she continued, "Is there a safe place you can take me?"

Squall didn't answer. His back was towards me, and I couldn't see the expression on his face.

"This is an order," the girl gritted, "an order from your client, remember?" It looked like she wanted to say more, but she just watched Squall expectantly.

Squall shuffled his feet before he muttered, "Alright."

The girl's face lit up and she broke into a smile. She nodded before turning around once more and walking down the street. Squall and Quistis were the first to follow her.

I fell into step beside Selphie. "Who is that girl?" I asked her.

She turned to me, looking slightly surprised. "Oh! That's Rinoa. She's our client from the Timber mission."

I nodded. "Okay, but what did she mean her base was destroyed?"

"She's part of a Timber resistance faction, and now that the Galbadian soldiers are after all of us…" she shuddered, and didn't finish the sentence.

I nodded. "Got it." I could piece together what was happening here. I remembered Zell talking about Galbadia on the ship after the SeeD exam, and how it had been in a constant state of war between other countries. It only made sense that the government would face resistance. Now that I thought about it, the name Timber had been mentioned when the group had talked about how far Galbadian influences reached. I had only partly been paying attention then, but now everything felt so much more real that I was involved in it. This world didn't seem so different from Earth after all. There was corruption in positions of power, just as there was corruption in government and world leaders back home. And it seemed so much worse here because sorceress were able to hold these positions of power, and I had first-hand experienced how evil the sorceress was.

I suddenly shuddered, feeling dread crawl up my body. Where could the sorceress be now? I'd been so close… but she hadn't seemed to recognize me at all. Actually, she didn't recognize Izzy. So did that mean that she wasn't aware that I was here? Why had she even been after me in the first place? Was this even the same sorceress that sent me here? She looked a little different, but how many other sorceresses could there be?

And what about that creepy dream/memory about the night of the accident? I felt cold all of a sudden and wrapped my arms around myself. Had it really been a memory, or just a figment of my imagination? Why would she kill Noah if she were after me? I blinked several times to stop the flow of tears that threatened my eyes. Had she been after the both of us? A fresh wave of shivers overtook my body. I stopped walking and shut my eyes. I didn't want to believe it. All these years that I blamed myself for Noah's death, and now I get a vision of someone killing him? I didn't know what to believe.

I sighed and shook my head. So many questions without answers… and the only one who could provide the answers was a dangerous, power-crazy woman who I had no idea where to find. I looked at the rest of the group, who it now seemed was following a woman in brown clothes. Zell looked at his feet as he walked, his shoulders slouched. Selphie had a determined look on her face, but other than that she seemed normal. The rest of the group walked ahead of us, but by the silence I figured they were also lost in thought. We followed the woman through the bar, which by this time was emptying, and made our way out into the empty, sunlit street. In silence, we ascended the stairs and followed the woman down the street to the town square.

We stopped in front of a narrow building with a wooden door. The woman we had been following stepped up to the door, unlocked it, and turned to give the rest of us a smile before disappearing inside.

"This is it," said Rinoa, before she too walked inside. We quietly followed them into the house, which was a two-story, cramped apartment with a main room that served as a kitchen as well as a living room. Everyone picked a corner to stand, but I stayed near the front door, trying to keep my mind off how crowded it was.

"I'll let you know if anything changes," said the portly woman standing by the kitchen sink. "'Till then, make yourselves at home." She smiled at all of us in turn before walking towards me. I stepped out of her way so she could leave the apartment.

"Thanks, chief," said Rinoa to the woman's departing back.

Squall turned to Rinoa. "Chief?" he asked.

Rinoa nodded. "She's the leader of the 'Forest Fox'" she answered, a slight grin on her face. "Almost everyone's a resistance member in this town." She chuckled dryly, as if at a private joke. "We're the only ones who are really active right now though." She sighed and leaned on the kitchen counter.

The room went silent all of a sudden. So Quistis said that Galbadian soldiers were after us. Was the sorceress teamed up with Galbadia or something?

'The President wanted to announce the Sorceress as an ambassador,' Ifrit informed.

'Really?'

'Yes, at least someone was paying attention while you were off endangering Izzy's life,' he felt the need to add.

'An ambassador? For what?'

'Of peace.'

Ifrit didn't elaborate. Of peace? Seriously? Who would put a freaking evil magic lady in a position of power? More importantly, people didn't even know that sorceresses could travel across different worlds. How could they trust her like that?

But was she truly there? I recalled the way her body rippled and wavered, as if she was a ghost or something. Something didn't add up. Why use so much energy to come after me? I mean, sure my dad always used to tell me I was special, but I was just a regular person, and I couldn't begin to imagine why a sorceress from another world would be after me. Goodness, before this, I hadn't even known that other worlds even existed.

Sighing from exhaustion, I absently watched Squall going around the room talking to everyone in turn. Selphie said something about wanting to go home, while Zell just slouched by a corner on the other end of the room, and as Squall said his name, he showed no sign of a response.

I wonder what's up with him. I hadn't imagined him being the quiet type; he was usually bumbling with energy. I snuck a look at Quistis, and noticed she was watching me with narrowed eyes. I could see the question forming in her face, but she remained quiet. Well, unless she brought it up, I wouldn't say anything.

I strode over to sit on one of the chairs by the circular dining table. What would I do now? Should I keep pretending to be Izzy? I could always go back to Balamb Garden. My stomach rumbled. I had to somehow get away from everyone. But then what? Bid farewell and go look for the sorceress on my own?

"Dammit!" I banged my fist on the table in frustration. My neck prickled as all eyes turned to me, but I ignored them. Jeez, I've never felt so helpless.

"I still don't get it," Selphie's voice suddenly broke the awkwardness. She turned around from her spot by the window. "What did Seifer come here for?"

"Didn't he-" I started.

"I think-" Rinoa said at the same time. She looked at me in surprise and I immediately shut up. "I think he came to help us, the 'Forest Owls,'" she continued, still watching me from the corner of her eye.

I nodded, but didn't say anything else. It had seemed to me that Seifer really wanted to show that he was more capable of helping the resistance than Squall, Zell, and Selphie, but what did I know?

Rinoa continued, "I talked about it a lot with him." She looked down on the floor, her face falling. "So please don't think too badly of him," she whispered.

We all stared at Rinoa. The guy had killed a soldier and tried to kill the president of Galbadia, and she was asking us not to think badly of him? I opened my mouth to retort, but the next second, someone rapped on the door.

"Anybody in here?" a gruff, muffled voice called in, followed by another rap on the door.

"What is this?" called a woman's voice; the same one who Rinoa had called Chief. The door rattled a little. "I have small children in here! Don't do anything to frighten them!"

I turned to Rinoa in fear, but she was watching Squall. The soldier banged once more on the door, and I could hear the chief yelling at him some more.

The woman we had followed to this house came bounding down the stairs. "Upstairs! Hurry!" she exclaimed.

I pushed myself out of the chair and was the first to follow Quistis up the narrow, wooden stairs. We piled into the single bedroom that was the second floor of the apartment. Zell immediately went to the corner and sat down, his face pale and eyes downcast. I tore my gaze away from him and plopped myself by the window.

"He was so angry when he found out it was only the three of you dispatched to Timber," Quistis began. She had her arms crossed and her eyes were slightly glazed. She went on, but I tuned her out and sunk into the windowsill.

What now? I couldn't go around pretending to be someone I wasn't, and I couldn't possibly stay here. So what would I do? I sighed and rubbed my temples. Goodness, my head hurts. I would go back to Garden. I nodded. Yes, that seemed like the best thing to do.

'You can't do that Natasha,'

I yelped and jumped at Siren's sudden voice.

'Where have you been? And why not?'

'Natasha,' she sounded exasperated. 'Think smartly. You're Izzy right now, and you can't just go waltzing into Garden after leaving without permission.'

My stomach rumbled. She was right, of course. 'So what the hell am I supposed to do?'

No response. I shook my head of the anger that was bubbling inside, and tried to pay attention to the other's conversation.

"What's going to happen to Seifer?" Quistis whispered.

I stared at her. She genuinely looked scared, and I couldn't help but wonder if they were friends.

Squall sighed, claiming the attention of everyone in the room. "He may already be dead," he said blankly.

"How can you be so casual?" Rinoa snapped, getting up off the floor. "I feel… sorry for him."

Squall turned away from Rinoa, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

"What's so funny? You're terrible!" she screamed, distressed. Shaking her head, she asked, "Why do you think he's dead?"

"The President of Galbadia and the sorceress joined forces," Squall stated, "Seifer attacked the president. It's no surprise that he may have been killed because of it."

I stared from him to Rinoa, who was on the verge of tears. She stepped up to Squall, glaring without blinking. "Even so!" she exclaimed. "I still hope he's alive!" She stared at Squall, but he just turned away from her. I was shocked to see a smirk playing on his lips.

Seifer may be an impulsive asshole, but I don't think he deserves to be killed.

"As long as you don't get your hopes up, you can take anything," muttered Squall from behind his back. "You feel less pain." He abruptly turned around to face Rinoa and shook his head. "Anyway, whatever wish you have is none of my business."

What the hell is he on about?

Something in my mind suddenly clicked into place. Wasn't Rinoa Seifer's girlfriend? And she'd been dancing with Squall at the SeeD party? No wonder she's so upset about Seifer.

There was a terse silence, during which Rinoa studied Squall, looking absolutely horrified. "You're mean…" she whispered.

I watched Squall blankly, trying to figure out what he was thinking. His face held a stoic expression, but I could see a glimmer of something else in his eyes, and the next moment he apologized to Rinoa.

The room once again fell into silence. My neck was prickling, and I looked up to see Quistis watching me through narrow eyes, as if suspicious.

"You've been awfully quiet, Izzy." she said the name somewhat sarcastically.

I gulped and opened my mouth to give some half-assed excuse, but the next moment, heavy footsteps were heard, and the chief lady climbed up the stairs.

"The Galbadian forces are withdrawing," she sounded slightly out of breath. "Only the soldiers normally stationed here will stick around If you're gonna leave town, now's your chance!"

"I need an explanation from you," Quistis hissed at me before Squall ushered us all downstairs. We followed the woman down into the living room/kitchen area, where we quietly piled in.

Aw crap, she's suspicious. I chewed my lower lip. I couldn't possibly tell them I wasn't Izzy. Not right now, anyway. I would have to pretend to be Izzy a while longer, only until we weren't on the run anymore.

"Well, getting out of here is only the first step," Quistis said. She looked at Squall expectantly, and I turned my attention on him too.

Squall crossed his arms at his chest and furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?" he asked Quistis.

She sighed, exasperated. "Garden Code. Article 8, line 7," she coaxed.

Squall's face suddenly lit up in realization. He nodded. "Head for the nearest Garden…"

"Very good!" Quistis grinned. "From here, that would be Galbadia Garden."

Wait a minute. Isn't Galbadia the bad guy?

"We can take a train from here and get off at East Academy station," Rinoa explained.

Quistis nodded. "From there, we have to go through a forest to get to Galbadia Garden." She looked around the group. "I've been there several times. We should be ok." She smiled, catching the looks on our faces.

"Ok, then, let's go!" Squall declared, but before he turned around, the chief stopped him.

"Wait, take these." She deposited a small bag into Squall's hands. I could hear bottles clinking.

Squall nodded at the woman, thanked her, and promptly walked out the door. Geez, it wouldn't kill him to smile. We followed him out of the apartment and piled into the street. Squall stopped and turned around to face the group.

"So we take the train to East Academy Station, and then walk through the forest to get to Galbadia Garden."

Squall led the way down the street the way we had come. Other than an old man facing the arched gateway of the train station, there was no one around. I watched him warily as he abruptly turned around, and startled upon seeing Rinoa.

"Rinoa! Squall! It's me!" he waved and ran over to us, pretty fast for an old, hunched man.

I watched Rinoa as she scrutinized him for a second before breaking out into a smile. "Zone!" she exclaimed.

I watched the others group around the man, confused as to what was going on. Weren't we supposed to get on the train? "Um, guys?" I asked.

Rinoa turned to me. "Oh! This is my friend Zone, part of The Timber Owls," she mouthed.

Oh, that makes sense. I looked closer at the man and realized that there was something odd about the way he walked. Then I realized that he must only be disguised as an old man.

Zone nodded at me before turning back to Rinoa. "You need to go to East Academy right? There's no more tickets left."

"Major bummer!" huffed Selphie.

Squall put a hand on his hip. "We'll do whatever it takes to get on that train."

"So… we're going to sneak on board?" I asked.

Zone smiled and shook his head. "You won't have to do that." He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "I have everyone's tickets right here!" He waved the envelope around proudly. He walked over to Rinoa and handed her a piece of paper from the envelope. "One for you."

Rinoa accepted the ticket with a smile.

"Three for you SeeD people," he walked over to Squall and handed him the envelope. "Here, I'll give them to the leader." Suddenly, his face fell as he looked at Quistis and me.

"The last two were for Watts, and me, but…" he walked over and handed me one ticket, and shoved the other one in Quistis's hand.

I shook my head, and Quistis said, "I can't take that, it's yours!"

Zone shoved his hands in his pockets. "Just get going! The train's leaving!" He waved his hands in the air dismissively.

"Thanks, Zone," I said.

"Yes. Thank you," whispered Quistis.

Sure enough, the sound of an engine could be heard, along with a boarding call.

"Zone!" Rinoa cried. She ran over to him and hugged him, whispering something we couldn't hear.

"We should go!" Squall ushered us through the arch and into the train station.

My thoughts drifted to Nida as I waited with the others to board the train. Guilt gnawed at my stomach, because he'd done so much to help me, and I'd completely walked out on him. I sighed. What could I possibly do about that now?

My neck prickled and I looked up to find Quistis scrutinizing me with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. Her gaze didn't falter when I looked at her, and eventually I looked away out of discomfort. I would have to give her a proper answer for my behaviour earlier.

We stood around the platform for what felt like ages when finally the train door hissed open.

'Stay alert'

As soon as I boarded the train compartment, a pair of hands shoved me against the opposite wall and promptly turned me around.

"Okay, Izzy, I'm gonna ask you only once. What do you know about the sorceress?"

I tried to readjust myself, but Quistis had a strong hold on my shoulders and I was forced to look nowhere else but at her.

"What?"

She shoved. "I know you know something."

"Quistis!"

She ignored Selphie and continued to glare at me.

I shook my head. "About what?"

"The sorceress!" she nearly growled.

What? "I don't know what you're talking about!" I'd never been a good liar.

"Quistis!" Squall's voice reverberated across the compartment and Quistis's hold on my shoulders loosened before she let go.

Her glare didn't falter.

I straightened myself up as best I could with my body trembling like I'd been dumped with a bucket of cold water.

"You'd better start talking," she whispered.

Squall stepped up next to Quistis and stared at her like he'd never seen her before.

I took a deep breath as my heartbeat returned to normal.

What the hell am I supposed to say?

'Tell her,' Siren's voice was reassuring.

I gulped, and met Quistis's narrowed eyes. "I'm not lying, I don't know anything about the sorceress."

"Then what did you come here for?" she asked.

"I uh.."

"Why did you follow us, Izzy?" Quistis snapped.

"I'm not Izzy!" I blurted, and immediately covered my mouth, as if the words could just be swallowed down. I looked around the compartment. Rinoa and Selphie had identical wide-eyed expressions, while Zell looked mildly thoughtful. Squall frowned at me with a hand scratching his chin, and Quistis continued to glare.

"What?" Quistis spoke up.

My stomach curled uncomfortably. I took a deep breath. "Look, I'll tell you everything, and I might need your help for a little while. It's all gonna sound totally effing crazy, but I promise I'm telling you the truth, and everything I know. The reason I followed you is because I need to find the sorceress. She's the only-"

"Only one who can send you back home, you said that," Quistis interrupted. "What does that mean?"

I nodded. "I'm getting to that." I pulled on a lock of blond hair and leaned back into the train wall. "I don't know exactly what happened, but somehow the sorceress brought me here, to this world. I-"

"To this world?" asked Rinoa.

I turned to her and realized that everyone was looking at me, either confused or suspicious. I gulped, uncomfortable with all the attention.

Nodding, I continued, "That's where it gets really messed up, because where I'm from, there's no magic or monsters that we can call who live in our heads or Garden or any of that."

"Where you're from? Izzy, what are you talking about?"

I shook my head and turned to Selphie. "I told you, I'm not Izzy," I paused to choose my words carefully. "I know I look like her. The sorceress somehow brought me here, into this body."

"So you're saying the sorceress can body-switch people?" Quistis asked incredulously.

I turned back to her, "Yes. I know it sounds insane."

"Impossible," Squall spoke up.

"That's what Nida first thought," I mumbled.

"Nida? The new SeeD who graduated with us?" Selphie asked.

I nodded and bit my lower lip. Why did I bring him into this?

"Who else knows about this?" Quistis asked. She looked so unfriendly that I felt anything I would say could provoke her to assault me again.

"No one, just Nida, and I convinced him not to tell anyone else. He tried to help, mainly because he wanted to find a way to get Izzy back."

"This is insane," Squall muttered. "We don't have time for this," he told Quistis.

Quistis glanced at Squall, but her attention was on me. She looked at me with scrunched eyebrows for several uncomfortable minutes, minutes during which I couldn't speak.

Me and my stupid big mouth.

"Who are you?" she finally asked.

I released a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "My name's Natasha, and until about three days ago, I didn't know about any of this."

"Where's Izzy?"

A flash of anger passed through me. Why the hell was her tone so accusing?

"Look, I know how crazy this is, but I'm not the one responsible for this. All I know is that the sorceress caused me to crash my car, and then tried to did some weird ass magic. I passed out, and when I woke up, I was in this world and looked like this." I sighed again, having said all of this very fast.

Quistis' expression softened somewhat, and I chanced a look at the others. Selphie no longer looked confused, but watched me with an expression of empathy. She'd taken Squall's place next to Quistis; Squall having moved to the far corner of the train compartment, now looking totally uninterested in the conversation. Zell watched me curiously, as if he expected me to jump up and say "Just kidding!"

Rinoa was the first to speak up. "Can you-"

She was immediately drowned out by the piercing sound of the train horn. She jumped a little as the train's engine roared to life, soon replaced by the click-click of the wheels as the train rolled into a steady motion.

I watched her expectantly, and rather nervously, as she straightened herself up and cleared her throat.

"Do you remember what happened before you got here? Anything about how you got here?"

For a few seconds, I could just stare at her, because I hadn't been expecting that question.

"I-uh-hmm, I better start from the beginning," I started detailing how Rachael and I had seen the sorceress in our apartment, how she'd looked like a ghost or something. "But she disappeared, like, two seconds later." I explained, how later on, I'd swerved to avoid hitting her on the road. The memory was so fresh in my mind, but it felt so long ago that I'd told Trevor to call home, and locked the car on him. "The really weird thing is though, that she was see-through."

"See-through?" Selphie asked.

I turned to her. "Yeah, like a ghost or something, but anyway, she stepped up to me, didn't even say anything. She held my head, not hard or anything, just lightly, and I swear I felt like she was trying to suck my mind out or something freaky like that. Anyway, then I passed out and woke up here, well at the Dollet place, as Izzy."

There was a long, silent moment. I watched anxiously, as everyone let that information sink in. I'd never wanted it to come to this, to have to explain to so many people that I wasn't Izzy. Nida's lack of knowledge about other worlds and sorceress powers had taught me that I shouldn't go blabbing about a sorceress if I could help it.

I watched Quistis. She no longer looked suspicious. At least that's a good sign.

"This makes no sense," Squall spoke up. He unfolded his arms and shook his head. "How can a sorceress travel across worlds?"

How the hell would I know? I wanted to say. Instead, I said, "I don't know."

"What did she want with you?" Selphie spoke up.

"I don't know." I shook my head, feeling the hair flopping around. "All I know is that she somehow put me in this body, and that maybe Izzy's in my place back on Earth." I sighed dejectedly. "And she was right there. She didn't recognize me, no, Izzy. She didn't recognize Izzy."

"So she doesn't know what she did?" I whipped my head around to look at Zell. He was now leaning near the door to the other compartment, watching me with an expression I couldn't read.

"Nope. At least, I don't think so."

"Wait! What if she does know but doesn't care?" Selphie piped up.

I groaned loudly.

"That doesn't make sense though," Rinoa said. She stepped closer to me. "Think about it. Why go through all that just to bring you here? And then not even acknowledge it?"

"You have a point," Quistis answered, and nodded at Rinoa. I watched Rinoa give a small smile. Quistis turned to me. "I still don't get something." She stroked her chin and continued, "Why exactly would she go out into another world and seek someone out, then completely immerse herself in the government here?"

I stared at her, suddenly realizing something. "What if she's planning an attack?" The back of my neck prickled. I looked at everyone in turn. "Isn't Galbadia the superpower of this world or something?"

"Yeah," Zell said.

I nodded. "So what if she's trying to get power so she can come take over my world?" My eyes went wide and I started breathing hard. "Oh my God, what if she just wants to use me to do that?"

"Izzy…"

I looked up at Quistis and shook my head. "My name's Natasha."

She nodded. "I was going to say, that if she doesn't know that she switched you, maybe she's still looking for you."

I nodded at her, relief flooding through me like warm water. "She probably is, and that's why I need to find her first."

"What will you do? What's your plan of action?" Squall asked.

My heart sank. What IS my plan of action? I didn't exactly have one except, 'find sorceress, have her send me home.' But I was kidding myself if I thought it'd be that easy.

"Iz- Natasha," Quistis whispered.

The sound of my name spoken so nicely nearly brought me to tears. I nodded at Quistis.

She bit her lip for a second, all malice gone from her expression. "You said you needed our help for a bit?"

I swallowed, then nodded. "Well, it's not really for me. I just don't think Izzy should be alone when we do get switched back. She'll need someone familiar around her, someone who can get her away from the sorceress."

Silence, once more, claimed the train compartment. Selphie was nodding at me, but she was the only one showing any sort of positive response.

Rinoa broke the terse silence. "I think I know how you can get switched back, Natasha."

I whipped my head towards her so fast, my neck cracked. "Really? How?"

She grinned. "I've read a thing or two about how sorceresses posses people. What you described sounded a lot like that."

"But obviously she couldn't, and when she wanted to come back here, to this world, she brought me along."

"Switching two people's bodies though, I never even heard of a sorceress doin' that," Zell said.

I turned to him, surprised. "Yeah, there's nothing in any library books about that. I don't think switching me with Izzy was part of her plan."

"No," Quistis shook her head, "but it's pretty obvious what you have to do."

I nodded. "Find her, and let her try to posses me?"

She nodded. "She's the new ambassador for Galbadia, I'm sure there's something being planned right now in Deling City to commemorate that."

A nod went through the group, except Squall.

Quistis stepped closer. "Look, we don't know what's going to happen with SeeD or Garden right now. It's all so volatile, but when we get to Galbadia Garden, you have to keep acting like Izzy," she narrowed her eyebrows sternly.

I nodded. "I can do that."

"Right," she continued. "As soon as things settle down, you'll have to go to Deling City." She looked around at the group, her gaze lingering on Squall for a few seconds longer, before she turned back to me. "I'll come with you, we'll get the switch done, and I'll bring Izzy back to Balamb Garden."

I nodded, feeling like I could breathe openly again. There was a plan, a pretty good plan, and I wouldn't have to go alone. "Thank you, Quistis," I said sincerely.

And for once since we'd gotten to Timber, Quistis smiled. She nodded and turned around to talk to Squall, who still looked skeptical.

Selphie and Rinoa disappeared through the door to the next compartment without another word, and Zell seemed like he wanted to be alone.

I leaned further against the wall, letting the relief bubble fill me up. For the first time since I'd been here, I felt a sliver of hope.

**Author's Note:**

> If you've made it this far, you'll notice that this is an OC fic, where an unknown falls into the FFVIII world. Boo! Hiss! Is it worth reading ahead? One way to find out, right?
> 
> Reviews will be highly appreciated and cherished for all eternity :)


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